Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaks during a media briefing at the Pentagon, Wednesday, July 20, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
OAN NEWSROOM
UPDATED 6:55 AM PT – Thursday, July 21, 2022
The US will provide more missiles and support to Ukraine as part of another military assistance package. This move follows a recent White House visit by Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Wednesday, the US will supply Ukraine with additional High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems and tactical vehicles for its fight against Russia. The defense secretary said the White House will roll out its sixteenth drawdown of extensive weapons, ammunition and equipment for Ukraine later this week.
“The United States is also committed to sending more HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems) munitions, precision guided artillery ammunition, and tactical vehicles and other urgently needed support,” Lloyd stated. “And we’ll continue to provide historic levels of security assistance to help Ukraine defend itself.”
LIVE: @SecDef Lloyd J. Austin III speaks from the Pentagon during a virtual Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting. https://t.co/5axTVNMHWt
— Department of Defense ?? (@DeptofDefense) July 20, 2022
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently touted the Intelligence Community’s role in giving Ukraine the upper hand in its war with Russia. While speaking to staffers at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence on Monday, he touted the DNI’s efforts to collect and inform lawmakers about Russia’s movements.
Russia’s cruel and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine ?? has spurred the international community into action, and the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting I hosted today — attended by some 50 countries — is just another sign of how nations of goodwill are rising to the moment. pic.twitter.com/on2wGLiIEd
— Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) July 20, 2022
The US has given $7.6 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the war began, including $2.2 billion in the last month.