Biden considering another military aid package for Ukraine

The Biden administration is expected to announce in the coming days another package of military assistance for Ukraine that will follow an $800 million package announced last week.

CNN and NBC News reported that the administration was putting together another $800 million weapons package for Ukraine.

A congressional source told The Hill that a weapons package was being considered but that there were no further details.

Asked about the report, the State Department said, “We have nothing to announce at this time.” The Pentagon referred questions on the report to the National Security Council.

The expected package would come about a week after Biden unveiled an $800 million weapons package for Ukraine, which included howitzers, counter-artillery radars and Mi-17 helicopters originally earmarked for Afghanistan. The U.S. has provided more than $3.2 billion security assistance to Ukraine since President Biden took office, including $2.6 billion since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Biden signaled that more aid was coming during a trip to New Hampshire on Tuesday, answering “yes” when asked if Washington would send Kyiv more artillery.

Biden held a video conference with allies and partners on Tuesday, during which “providing more ammunition and security assistance to Ukraine” was discussed, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.

The package comes as Russia launches its massive offensive in the eastern region of Ukraine after retreating from the capital city of Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned on Monday that Russia had begun its assault for the Donbas, saying in a video address that a “very large portion” of the Russian army is focused on the effort.

A European official briefing reporters said Mariupol, a southern port city in Ukraine, could fall within days. The city has become a “main objective” and is key to Moscow being able to establish a land bridge between Crimea and the Donbas.

The official added that military assistance to Ukraine is delivered “case by case” and that, from a military perspective, the calculations are a balance between what the Ukrainians are asking for and “what will be easy to provide in a short time frame.”

The official stressed that avoiding actions that provoke Russia and that could escalate the conflict is “very, very important,” with the fear that Moscow would use chemical or nuclear weapons and that the first victims would be in Ukraine. “Ukraine would be the first one to be damaged by this.”