The $1.85 billion in additional military aid announced by Secretary of State Antony Blinken on December 21 includes the transfer of the Patriot Air Defense System.
The announcement was made as the Ukrainian president prepared to travel to Washington for a meeting with Vice President Joe Biden and a speech to Congress.
Ukraine will receive $1 billion in security assistance and $1 billion more to bolster its “expanded air defense and precision-strike capabilities.”
Zelenskiy commended the United States’ commitment to supply the Patriot surface-to-air missile defense system, describing it as a significant step toward establishing an effective air shield.
If American Patriot missile defense systems are ever installed, the Russian government has previously stated that they could be a legitimate target for Russian attacks on Ukraine.
Since February 24th, the United States has provided Ukraine with approximately $21.2 billion in military assistance.
