The US government has just advised that the next financial support assistance of $6 billion will include Patriot missiles to Ukraine. During his announcement on April 26, Lloyd Austin, Secretary of Defense, stated that providing more defence systems to Ukraine was necessary.
The air defence systems were of the utmost importance. The Patriot missiles which will be provided are aimed at strengthening the air defence systems already holding the ground and enhancing Ukraine’s skills in warding off air-targeted attacks from Russia.
The artillery that the USA gifted formed only a small piece of the air shield that our country needs. So, the existing air defence is insufficient if an attempt to invade again occurs. At the Ukraine Defense Contact Group session, President Zelenskyy repeated the fact that the life-saving provided by Patriot systems would protect the lives of Ukraine citizens and give safety to their cities.
The Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), which supports long-range contracts with the defence industry, will finance this aid package. The international aid is a comprehensive set of munitions, including NASAM, HIMARS, Switchblade, and Puma drones, counter-drone systems, and artillery.
The granting of the package of this substantial aid demonstrates the continuation of the United States’ efforts to support Ukraine in the area of defence capabilities. Since February last year, the United States has already spent $44 billion on weapons, training, facility maintenance, and components for Ukraine.
These steps become crucial as Ukrainian troops must confront the dire battlefield scenes and the need to offset pockets of Russian advances. The aid package aims at crippling the Russian invasion of Ukraine and empowering the Ukrainian people in their defensive struggle for freedom and territorial integrity.
