Joe Biden announces $3bn in fresh Ukraine military aid | Ukraine

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Joe Biden has announced nearly $3bn in new military assistance to Ukraine, including anti-aircraft missiles, artillery, counter-drone defenses and radar equipment.

The huge tranche of military aid brings to nearly $13bn the US has supplied or pledged to Kyiv under the Biden administration. The new package was announced on the country’s independence day and in the run-up to an expected Ukrainian counter-offensive against Russian-occupied territory.

“The United States of America is committed to supporting the people of Ukraine as they continue the fight to defend their sovereignty,” Biden said in a statement.

“As part of that commitment, I am proud to announce our biggest tranche of security assistance to date: approximately $2.98bn of weapons and equipment to be provided through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. This will allow Ukraine to acquire air defense systems, artillery systems and munitions, counter-unmanned aerial systems, and radars to ensure it can continue to defend itself over the long term.”

The drone defences are particularly significant as Russian forces, facing low morale, general exhaustion and widespread equipment shortages, have been expanding their use of unmanned aircraft, an area where they are receiving support from Iran.

Russian officials watched a display of Iranian drones in June and US officials believe Russians are being trained to use them inside Iran.

The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, expressed gratitude for the new aid, which includes some of the types of weapons he has been demanding.

“The people of Ukraine, all our defenders highly appreciate [the USA’s] unwavering support. Together we will win!” Zelenskiy said in a tweet.

The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, said the US had “demonstrated that we will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes”, and a recent poll by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs suggested there were few signs of “Ukraine fatigue” so far among the US electorate.

Near three-quarters of the Americans questioned backed increasing military aid to Ukraine. Fifty-eight per cent agreed with the statement that the US should support Ukraine “for as long as it takes, even if American households will have to pay higher gas and food prices as a consequence”. And 38% thought the US should send troops to Ukraine to fight the Russians, something that Biden has vowed not to do.

On most questions there was little difference between the views of Democrats and Republicans, making it one of the relatively few issues that does not split the country. That level of bipartisan support may become an important factor if Republicans take back control of the House of Representatives in November’s congressional elections.

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