U.S. announces new $550 mln security assistance package for Ukraine - White House

WASHINGTON. Aug 2 (Interfax) - The U.S. administration has announced $550 million in a new U.S. security assistance package for Ukraine, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said.

"Today, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan; the Secretary of State, Tony Blinken; and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, spoke together with their Ukrainian counterparts about the enduring U.S. support to Ukraine [...], and to inform them about a new $550 million security assistance package that the Biden administration will authorize today," Kirby said at a White House briefing on Monday.

The U.S. Department of State, in turn, has confirmed that Kyiv will receive military equipment and weapons worth $550 million from U.S. Department of Defense inventories.

"Today's announcement is going to include more ammunition for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, otherwise known as HIMARS, as well as ammunition for the 155-millimeter artillery systems," the Department of State said in a statement.

This drawdown will bring total U.S. military assistance to Ukraine to approximately $8.7 billion since Joe Biden became U.S. president, it said.