The U.S Department of Defense (DOD) recently reaffirmed U.S. support for Ukraine by announcing a new security package through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI).
The DOD announced June 9 that the $2.1 billion assistance package includes missiles, defense systems, ammunitions and other supplies, "underscoring the unwavering U.S. support for Ukraine." The USAI package "illustrates the continued commitment to both Ukraine’s critical near-term capabilities as well as the enduring capacity of Ukraine’s Armed Forces to defend its territory and deter Russian aggression over the long term," the DOD states in the news release.
The USAI authorizes the U.S. to acquire "capabilities" from industries and allies, according to the release. Previous supply shipments to Ukraine were provided from DOD inventories through Presidential Drawdown Authorities (PDAs), the release states.
According to a Department of State (DOS) May 9 fact sheet, PDAs are "valuable tool(s) of U.S. foreign policy in crisis situations."
A PDA "allows for the speedy delivery of defense articles and services from Department of Defense stocks to foreign countries and international organizations to respond to unforeseen emergencies," the DOS states in the fact sheet. "Such assistance can begin arriving within days—or even hours—of approval." The Secretary of State works with the President, the DOD, and Congress to initiate and execute the process, according to the fact sheet.
The Biden administration has used the PDA 37 times since August 2021 to provide approximately $21.1 billion in DOD aid to Ukraine, the fact sheet reports, and nearly $40 billion since the beginning of Russia’s illegal invasion on Feb. 24, 2022.
"These drawdowns, responding to the ongoing conflict with Russia, demonstrate the U.S.'s commitment to Ukraine's defense and have the backing of Congress, which has incrementally increased the cap on the drawdown authority," the fact sheet states.
The DOD announcement of the use of USAI "represents the beginning of a contracting process to provide additional priority capabilities to Ukraine," the agency states in its release.
"The United States will continue to work with its Allies and partners to provide Ukraine with capabilities to meet its immediate battlefield needs and longer-term security assistance requirements," the DOD states.
