US allocates $1.85 bln military aid package, including Patriot and training

On Wednesday, December 21, US President Joe Biden signed a memorandum on allocating up to one billion dollars, which should be directed to providing weapons and defense services to Ukraine and training the Ukrainian military.

The text of the memorandum was published on the White House website, Rubryka reports.

"I hereby delegate to the Secretary of State the authority under section 506(a)(1) of the FAA to direct the drawdown of up to $1 billion in defense articles and services of the Department of Defense, and military education and training, to provide assistance to Ukraine and to make the determinations required under such section to direct such a drawdown," the statement reads.

Later, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken officially announced a new military aid package for Ukraine for $1.85 billion. This package also provides for the Patriot air defense system, EP reports.

As Blinken explained, the new aid package will consist of $1 billion in funding from President Joe Biden's executive order and another $850 million from the Pentagon.

"Today's assistance for the first time includes the Patriot Air Defense System, capable of bringing down cruise missiles, short-range ballistic missiles, and aircraft at a significantly higher ceiling than previously provided air defense systems," the Secretary of State announced.

In addition, according to Blinken, the new aid package includes means of delivering high-precision strikes, as well as additional ammunition and critical equipment, which Ukraine effectively uses for protection on the battlefield.

"Thus, total US military aid to Ukraine will reach an unprecedented amount of $21.9 billion since the beginning of the Biden administration," he concluded.

Reference

Earlier, a representative of the White House reported that US President Joe Biden would announce a new significant assistance package to Ukraine in the security field worth about $2 billion, including a battery of Patriot air defense systems.

On the morning of December 21, the Office of the President of Ukraine officially confirmed Zelensky's visit to the United States. US President Joe Biden will meet Zelensky at the White House at 21:00 Kyiv time.

As it became known, Zelensky had already arrived in the United States.