The US will send Ukraine anti-tank weapons, air defense equipment and an additional HIMARS system.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin made a surprise visit to Kiev and presented a new military aid package for Ukraine worth $100 million.
Austin met Monday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as well as Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and Commander-in-Chief Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyi, on his first trip to Kyiv since April 2022 and pledged long-term support from the United States.
“The message I bring to you today, Mr. President, is that the United States of America is with you. We will be loyal to you for the long haul,” Austin told Zelensky.
Austin said Ukraine’s efforts to defeat Russian forces “matter to the rest of the world” and that U.S. support will continue “for the long haul.”
The new support package includes anti-tank weapons, air defense interceptors and an additional High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS).
Zelensky told Austin that his visit was “a very important signal” for Ukraine.
“We count on your support,” said the Ukrainian president.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the United States has provided more than $44 billion – and its allies another $35 billion – in security support, ranging from millions of bullets to air defense systems and advanced European and US battle tanks are enough and finally commitments for F-16 fighter jets.
But there are concerns that support from allies is waning amid the devastating Israel-Gaza war and perceived lack of progress in a Ukrainian counteroffensive that began in June.
Fighting has stalled in the east of the country around devastated towns such as Bakhmut and Adviidka, although Ukraine has recently reported some successes in the southern Kherson region, where it has gained a foothold on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River and the Black Sea.
However, when the cold sets in, ground conditions make it harder for either side to make big gains.
“I think they are prepared for the fight in the winter,” Austin told reporters after his meetings, adding that Russia was expected to be “even more aggressive.”
Last year, Moscow relentlessly attacked Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and power grid, leaving millions of Ukrainians in the cold and darkness at a time when temperatures are often below zero.
Fred Kagan, a senior researcher at the American Enterprise Institute, said it would be a mistake to think there is time to wait.
“If we stop providing aid to Ukraine, the stalemate will not continue. “The aid is actually essential to prevent the Russians from again maneuvering in a way that could allow them to defeat Ukraine,” Kagan told The Associated Press. “So the price of cutting aid is that Russia wins, Ukraine loses and NATO loses.”
Austin’s visit comes amid growing disagreement over aid to Ukraine in the US Congress. Some lawmakers want to prioritize supporting Israel, although U.S. defense officials emphasize that Washington can support both allies at the same time, while a small but vocal group of Republicans oppose sending more aid to Ukraine, saying the money the taxpayer should be spent on this home.