U.S. to provide Ukraine with $250 mln in additional military aid - Blinken

WASHINGTON. Dec 28 (Interfax) - U.S. President Joe Biden's administration on Wednesday announced a $250 million military aid package for Ukraine.

"The United States is announcing the year's final package of weapons and equipment for Ukraine," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

This aid package includes air defense munitions, other components for air defense systems, additional ammunition for high-mobility artillery rocket systems, 155mm and 105mm artillery ammunition, anti-armor munitions, and over 15 million rounds of ammunition, Blinken said.

The U.S. Department of Defense, in turn, said that the new military aid package for Ukraine contains additional munitions for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, additional munitions for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds, Javelin, AT-4 and TOW anti-tank systems, and over 15 million rounds of small arms ammunition.

It will be the last U.S. military aid package for Ukraine until Congress approves the Biden administration's requests for more funds.

"It is imperative that Congress act swiftly, as soon as possible, to advance our national security interests by helping Ukraine," Blinken said.

The president earlier asked Congress to approve an additional package of more than $60 billion in assistance for Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Biden has authorized Blinken to decide whether it is necessary to grant Ukraine up to $20 million in additional aid, according to a memorandum published by the White House.

"I hereby delegate to the secretary of state the authority [...] to determine whether it is important to the security interests of the United States to furnish up to $20 million in assistance to Ukraine," the document said.