The US Department of Defense unveiled on Friday a new $150 million package for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), the Pentagon said in a press statement The aid package is part of the US efforts to help Ukraine's forces preserve the country's territorial integrity, secure its borders, and improve interoperability with NATO. The new package comes three months after the first one under the Biden administration worth $125 million was announced on March 1. "This $150 million package represents the remaining funds appropriated by Congress for USAI in Fiscal Year 2021 and is made possible by the Defense Department, in coordination with the Department of State, certifying that Ukraine has made sufficient progress on defense reforms this year, as required by the National Defense Authorization Act," according to the statement. The USAI package includes capabilities to enhance the lethality, command and control, and situational awareness of Ukraine's forces through the provision of counter-artillery radars, counter-unmanned aerial systems, secure communications gear, electronic warfare and military medical evacuation equipment, and training and equipment to improve the operational safety and capacity of Ukrainian Air Force bases. "These capabilities complement the $125 million USAI package announced on March 1, 2021, that included armed Mark VI patrol boats, counter-artillery radars, tactical equipment, support for a satellite imagery and analysis capability, and equipment to support military medical treatment and combat evacuation procedures," the statement read. The United States has committed more than $2.5 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since 2014 and will continue to strengthen our strategic defense partnership, including through the provision of defensive lethal assistance. The United States will also continue to assist Ukraine with the implementation of these reforms to advance its Euro-Atlantic aspirations in support of a secure, prosperous, democratic, and free Ukraine.
