WASHINGTON — The Pentagon announced a new $600 million package of long-term aid to Ukraine on Thursday, providing funding for an array of weapons and other equipment just a day after Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited the country and pledged $1 billion in new military and humanitarian aid.
The Defense Department said the latest package will come through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which provides money for long-term contracts for weapons systems that need to be built or modified by defense companies.
Included in the aid is funding for equipment to sustain and integrate Ukraine's air defense systems, ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), artillery rounds, electronic warfare and counter-electronic warfare equipment, demolition munitions and mine-clearing equipment, as well as for training and maintenance.
The aid comes as the Biden administration works to show its continued support for Ukraine's three-month-old counteroffensive, as troops try to break through Russian defenses and clear vast mine fields. Some allies have quietly expressed concerns about the slow-moving offensive, while others say Ukraine has made some progress and has successfully used air defenses to knock down Russian missiles.
Blinken, on a trip to Kyiv on Wednesday, announced that the Pentagon will provide about $175 million for weapons that will be pulled from Pentagon stocks and an additional $100…
