US to Send $1.8bn Aid to Ukraine, Including Patriot System

By Staff, Agencies

A US official said President Joe Biden’s administration will soon announce a $1.8bn military aid package for Kiev, which will for the first time include a Patriot missile battery and precision-guided bombs for Ukrainian fighter jets, amid reports that Ukraine’s president Vladimir Zelensky may visit Washington, DC.

US officials elaborated on details of the aid package on condition of anonymity on Tuesday, according to the Associated Press.

Media organizations citing unnamed sources also reported on Wednesday that Zelensky could travel to Washington, DC to meet Biden and visit the US Congress. Zelensky’s spokesman did not respond to a request for comment on the trip and security concerns could yet force the Ukrainian leader to change his plans, a source told Reuters.

US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi earlier on Tuesday said in a letter that there would be a session of Congress on Wednesday night, which would have a “very special focus on democracy,” further heightening speculation the Ukrainian president would visit the US capital.

The $1.8bn aid package due to be announced by Biden, according to AP, signals an expansion in the kinds of advanced weaponry the US is sending Ukraine.

The package, which is expected to be announced on Wednesday, according to the AP, will include about $1bn in weapons from Pentagon stocks and another $800m in funding through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which funds weapons, ammunition, training and other assistance, officials said.