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| US President Joe Biden Announces Worth $1 Billion Arms Aid to Ukraine |
International Military - United States President Joe Biden on Wednesday local time announced the injection of new weapons worth USD 1 billion, or about Rp. 14 trillion for Ukraine. According to sources, the aid package included anti-ship rocket systems, artillery rockets and shells for howitzers.
In a phone call with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Biden said he informed the Ukrainian leader of new arms aid. "I informed President Zelenskiy that the United States is providing Ukraine with another $1 billion worth of security assistance, including additional artillery and coastal defense weapons, as well as ammunition for artillery and advanced rocket systems," Biden said in a statement after a 41-minute call. reported by Reuters, Thursday (16/6/2022).
The US president also announced an additional USD225 million in humanitarian aid to help people in Ukraine, including by supplying safe drinking water, essential medical and health care supplies, food, shelter, and cash for families to purchase essential items. .
Anti-missile weapons The aid package, which came as Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met with US allies in Brussels, can be divided into two categories: transfers of excess defense goods from US stockpiles and other weapons funded by the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), a separate program. approved by Congress.
Three sources familiar with the details, speaking on condition of anonymity, said a package of about $350 million was expected to include more rockets for the Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) already delivered to Ukraine and artillery shells for howitzers and M777 spare parts.
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The second package, estimated at more than $650 million and funded using USAI, could include a land-based Harpoon anti-ship missile launcher, secure radio, night vision and training.
Earlier, in May, the Biden administration announced plans to deliver Ukraine's M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System after receiving assurances from Kiev that it would not use it to hit targets inside Russia.
Biden imposed those conditions to try to avoid an escalation of the Ukraine war. "The rocket artillery in this aid package will have the same range as previous US rocket deliveries and will be funded using the Presidential Withdrawal Authority, or PDA, under which the president may authorize the transfer of goods and services from US inventories without congressional approval in response to an emergency." said one source.
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For the first, the United States is considering sending a land-based Harpoon launcher. In May, Reuters reported the US was working on a potential solution that would include pulling launchers from US ships to help provide Ukraine with a Harpoon missile-launching capability.
The Harpoon missile system built by Boeing Co costs about $1.5 million per missile, according to experts and industry executives.