The new aid package was announced by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin at the American military base "Ramstein" in Germany, where a meeting of Ukraine's Western allies is taking place.
"Here at "Ramstein," I am determined to do everything possible to help Ukraine live in freedom and security — and to create a more just and dignified world. And our joint work must continue," RBC-Ukraine quotes the Pentagon chief.
He also stated that Ukraine's struggle is important for all allies. "As I said here at our first meeting in April 2022, Putin's war is a challenge to free people all over the world. And we are all interested in ensuring that autocrats cannot place their imperial ambitions above the basic rights of free and sovereign peoples. Ukraine is fighting a just war of self-defense. And this is one of the greatest causes of our time," Austin noted.
The aid includes additional missiles for Ukrainian air defense, more shells, more air-to-ground missiles, and other equipment to support Ukrainian F-16.
This is the last meeting at the "Ramstein" base before the inauguration of elected President Donald Trump in the US. According to some reports, his administration may propose a new format for such meetings.
At the end of December, Washington announced the allocation of $2.5 billion to Kyiv, making this American military aid package the largest since January 2023.
Photo: The New York Times