Biden readies $375 million arms aid package for Ukraine
By Mike Stone
WASHINGTON, Sept 20 (Reuters) -The United States is preparing a $375 million military aid package for Ukraine, breaking a months-long trendtowards smaller packages for Kyiv for its militaryoperations against Russia, two U.S. officials told Reuters on Friday.
The latest package comes at a crucial time in the war, asRussia pummels Ukraine's energy grid ahead of the critical winter months.
The aid package, expected to be announced next week, includes patrol boats, additional ammunition for high-mobility artillery rocket systems (HIMARS), 155 and 105 millimeter artillery ammunition, spare parts and other weapons, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The contents and size of the package could change in the coming days ahead of the president's expected signature.
Since May, the U.S. has not sent an aid package greater than $275 million using Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA).
PDAs allow the U.S. to draw from current weapons stocks to help allies in an emergency. In August, as Ukraine was pressing an incursion into Russia and losing territory in its east to Russian advances, the U.S. sent two packages, both for $125 million each.
Pro-Ukraine U.S. congressional leaders and President Joe Biden's administration are working towards an agreement to seek a one-year extension of about $5.5 billion worth of PDA for Ukraine that is due to expire this month.
There was bipartisan support for the plan to include the extension of the PDA in a Continuing Resolution, a short-term emergency spending bill that the Senate and House of Representatives must pass to avoid a Sept. 30 government shutdown.
The authority set to expire in dayswas granted in a supplemental spending bill passed in April after a long delay by Republican opponents of Ukraine aid.
April also saw an increase in funds to buy new weapons that would replenish the U.S. weapons stocks drawn down by Ukraine PDA packages. Experts envisioned these new orders would boost the order backlogs of weapons makers like RTX RTX.N, Lockheed Martin LMT.N, General Dynamics GD.N, and Northrop Grumman NOC.N.
Reporting by Mike Stone in Washington
Editing by Don Durfee and Marguerita Choy
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