US Preparing $6 Billion Weapons Contract for Ukraine

The US is preparing the largest military aid package for Ukraine, which could be announced as soon as Friday.

According to two US officials, the expected package will dig into the $61 billion funding, which was finalized by US President Joe Biden signing it into law on Wednesday, April 24.

The package weapons could include Patriot air defense munitions, artillery ammunition, drones, counter-drone weapons, and fighter jet air-to-air missiles.

The money will be allocated under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI). Under USAI, the Pentagon signs contracts with American firms to build new equipment for Ukraine, so it will likely take the equipment several years to arrive in Ukraine.

The package is expected to be announced by the US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin during the upcoming Ukraine Defense Contact Group virtual meeting on April 26.

It was announced on Wednesday, April 24, that the US has secretly sent long-range ATACMS to Ukraine in the past few weeks, and Ukraine has now used them twice.