The United States announced a $988 million aid package of new weapons and equipment for Ukraine on Saturday, intended to support its ongoing fight against Russian invasion.
The package nearly halves the remaining $2.21 billion in the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), as the Biden administration works to commit to buying arms from industry rather than withdrawing U.S. weapons stockpiles. .
USAI funds will be used to purchase ammunition for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), manufactured by Lockheed Martin, and spare parts for maintaining the artillery equipment, according to the .
The package announcement came Saturday during the Reagan National Defense Forum in California, where defense industry leaders and policymakers were gathered.
The Biden administration has frequently used the Presidential Demobilization Authority (ADP), which authorizes President Joe Biden to transfer surplus items and services from U.S. stockpiles without congressional approval during an emergency.
USAI funds are set aside and will be used to purchase new weapons from the industry.
The Biden administration still has about $6 billion in ADP granted by Congress, including funds authorized in 2024 and resources discovered by the Pentagon after an overestimation of the value of weapons sent to Ukraine.
Since the Russian invasion in February 2022, the US has committed more than $62 billion in assistance to Kiev.
