AP: US To Announce USD$3B Ukr Arms Package To Mark Independence Day

The Associated Press has reported that the US will announce a new USD$3 billion arms package for Ukraine today.

• According to AP sources, the new package will be focused on long-term defence strategies rather than servicing immediate military needs - a departure from previous arms packages suggesting that Ukraine may soon be in a position to undertake a long planned counterattack in the south-east of the country.
  • AP: "U.S. officials told The Associated Press that the package is expected to be announced Wednesday, the day the war hits the six-month mark and Ukraine celebrates its independence day. The money will fund contracts for drones, weapons and other equipment that may not see the battlefront for a year or two, they said."
• The aid will be provided under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative which is funded via more than USD$23 billion in regular and supplemental appropriations, including the Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022.
• According to the Congressional Research Service, just over USD$6 billion has been provided to Ukraine via presidential drawdown authority as of August 1. Source: https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF1...
• The US officials believe that the symbolic nature of the day will reassure Ukraine that the US, "intends to keep up its support, regardless of the day-to-day back and forth of the conflict."