US Giving $1 Billion More in Arms for Ukraine, Including Anti-Ship Missiles

A U.S.-made Harpoon ship-to-ship missile is seen in a file photo. Patrick Lin/AFP via Getty Images

President Joe Biden on Wednesday announced the United States would provide even more aid to Ukraine’s military for advanced rocket systems, artillery, and coastal defenses.

Biden said he told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of the development as the two spoke over the phone, according to a statement released by the White House.

“I informed President Zelenskyy that the United States is providing another $1 billion in security assistance for Ukraine, including additional artillery and coastal defense weapons, as well as ammunition for the artillery and advanced rocket systems that the Ukrainians need to support their defensive operations in the Donbas,” Biden stated.

Previously, the United States has authorized well over $40 billion in aid to Ukraine since the start of the Feb. 24 conflict with Russia. Zelensky has repeatedly called on the United States and other Western countries to provide weapons, ammunition, and other forms of aid.

The United States also recently sent Ukraine advanced, long-range rocket systems while claiming that such weapons will not be used to hit targets inside Russia.

An additional $225 million will be sent for humanitarian such as “safe drinking water, critical medical supplies and health care, food, shelter, and cash for families to purchase essential items,” the White House added in its Wednesday statement. “We also discussed Secretary [Lloyd] Austin’s efforts in Brussels today to coordinate additional international support for the Ukrainian armed forces,” the statement said.

Austin spoke in Brussels, Belgium, this week and said Ukraine and the United States are “working in lockstep to meet Ukraine’s requests for new capabilities, especially its need for long-range fires, armor, and coastal defense.”

“We must intensify our shared commitment to Ukraine’s self-defense, and we must push ourselves even harder to ensure that Ukraine can defend itself, its citizens, and its territory,” Austin said, according to reports. “But make no mistake, Russia’s unprovoked and indefensible invasion isn’t just a danger to Ukraine. It’s a menace to European security, and it’s an affront to the rules-based international order that protects us all.”

Top Russian leaders have previously issued warnings after the United States shipped weapons to Ukraine. In early June, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow believes that “the United States is purposefully and diligently adding fuel to the fire” by sending more weapons to Kyiv. When asked about Russia’s response, he told reporters: “Let’s not talk about worst-case scenarios.”

According to a news release from the Department of Defense on Wednesday, the United States will provide 18 Howitzers, 36,000 rounds of 155mm ammunition, 18 tactical vehicles for the Howitzers, more ammunition for artillery rocket systems, spare parts, and four recovery vehicles. The United States will also provide two anti-ship Harpoon coastal defense systems, radios, thermal sights and night vision optics, training, maintenance, transportation, and other costs.