How US arms help Ukraine in war 2:34
Washington (CNN) — The United States is preparing another $800 million military aid package for Ukraine, according to three senior government officials and two sources familiar with the planning.
Details of the latest package are still being discussed privately and could change, but President Joe Biden said earlier Tuesday that the United States plans to send more artillery to Ukraine.
Upon arrival in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Biden was asked on the tarmac by reporters if he planned to send more artillery to Ukraine.
Biden told reporters “yes” before getting into his motorcade.
A senior administration official said the new package could be approved within the next 36 hours, although another administration official said the timing was unclear and could arrive in the next few days.
The size of the package could also change at the last minute, the second official said.
More weapons for Ukraine
The latest package would come a week after the Biden administration approved another $800 million security package that included artillery and anti-artillery radars for the first time since the Russian invasion began.
The Biden administration is working to get military aid to Ukraine as soon as possible because it believes the war is at a critical juncture and continued US aid could make a difference as Russia’s more aggressive attack on eastern Ukraine intensifies will, government officials said.
The more open terrain in this region favors the use of artillery and long-range systems, so the government has made it a point to deploy these types of systems quickly as fighting shifts away from Kyiv and into the Donbass region.
The region also borders Russia, allowing Russian forces to maintain shorter supply lines needed for an attack. Ukraine and Russia have fought with their own armed forces and proxies in the Donbass region for the past eight years, making it familiar territory for both forces.
conversations
This week Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is set to meet Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal in Washington to discuss aid to Ukraine and hold Russia accountable. A Ukrainian delegation will be in the US capital this week as part of the IMF-World Bank Spring 2022 meeting.
If the latest $800 million package is passed, it would mean that the US has pledged around $3.4 billion in aid to Ukraine since the Russian invasion began on February 24.
This would be the last use of funds by the presidency until Congress approves more gun funds for Ukraine. With this type of use of funds, the Department of Defense takes weapons and equipment from US stockpiles to ship to Ukraine instead of buying new weapons from manufacturers.