The Biden administration is preparing to announce another substantial military aid package for Ukraine this week, five U.S officials tell NBC News. Three officials said the package is expected to be similar in size to the $800 million one the administration announced last week.
Two officials said the package is expected to include more artillery and tens of thousands more artillery rounds, which will likely be critical to the fighting in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region.
President Joe Biden has not signed the new package, officials said. But asked Tuesday if he will send more artillery to Ukraine, Biden said, “Yes.”
The administration could also announce new sanctions against Russia, though it’s not clear if those would come this week, officials said.
Matt Miller, special adviser at the White House National Security Council, said on MSNBC Tuesday, “Of course, we are preparing the next package of security assistance to get into Ukraine. Because it is true they’re going through these stocks quickly.”
Last week the Biden administration announced it was sending an $800 million package to Ukraine that included 40,000 artillery rounds and 18 155mm howitzers to Ukraine.
But as NBC News reported Saturday, with the Ukrainian military using thousands per day, that 40,000 would last only a little over one week, a U.S. official explained. U.S. officials are working the phones to convince allies to send more artillery and ammunition to Ukraine so it doesn’t run out when the offensive ramps up.
The National Security Council did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
