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New Weapons to Ukraine, as Europe and the US are preparing for a long-term conflict

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III announced President Joe Biden’s support for the transfer of $675 million worth of U.S. military capabilities to Ukraine however, the main focus of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting at Ramstein Air Base, Germany is on providing long-term support to the nation in the face of the Russian invasion.

Austin held the in-person meeting of the group saying the more than 50 countries involved are determined to boost the efforts to help Ukraine.

Austin informed the group that Austin informed the group that President Joe Biden had approved the latest tranche of U.S. assistance to Ukraine. It’s the 20th time that equipment has been pulled out of U.S. stocks for Ukraine from August 2021.

“The latest package includes more , 105-millimeter howitzers, artillery ammunition and , Humvees, armored ambulances, anti-tank systems, small arms and more,” he stated. “And since our last meeting in July, many allies and partners have come forward with their own important new deliveries of advanced radars, tanks, and armored personnel carriers.”

Austin and Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, met with Oleksii Reznikov, Ukrainian defense minister, as well as Lt. Gen. Yevhen Moisiuk, Ukrainian deputy chief of defense, before the group convened. The Ukrainians presented updates on the battlefield conditions in the country and their military needs.

This is the fifth time the group has met, that first met in Ramstein in April. At that time, Ukraine had stopped Russian attacks on the capital city of Ukraine, Kyiv.

“In late April, Russia shifted to massive artillery strikes against sovereign Ukrainian territory in the Donbas,” Austin declared in his opening remarks. “And this contact group responded swiftly to the changing character of Russia’s war of choice.”

The United States committed unprecedented security assistance to Ukraine including Stinger anti-aircraft systems armored personnel vehicles, launchers for grenades Mi-17 helicopters, body armor, and millions of rounds of small-arms ammunition.

The secretary highlighted the transfer of howitzers to illustrate the aid that has been poured into Ukraine. “In April, the United States delivered our first batch of M-777 howitzers — introducing NATO-standard artillery pieces to Ukraine for the first time,” the secretary said. “Today, the United States has delivered 126 of those howitzers. And along with countries around the world, we’ve increased the number of howitzer systems for Ukraine’s defenders by more than 18-fold.” This has helped halt the Russian offensive in the Donbas region.

Since then, additional capabilities like 26 long-range rocket artillery systems as well as the guided multiple launch rockets have arrived.

“All these capabilities have demonstrably helped Ukraine fight back against Russia’s aggression,” he stated. “And they have enabled Ukraine to resist Russia’s ongoing onslaught. So we have come a long way by working together.”

But more needs to be done. Russia continues to bomb Ukrainian civilians and cities with missiles and artillery fire. However, the nature of the conflict is changing, and Ukrainian forces have begun an offensive against Russia in the southern part of the country, the secretary added.

“They are integrating the capabilities that we all have provided to help themselves to fight and reclaim their sovereign territory,” Austin said. “Today, this contact group needs to position itself to sustain Ukraine’s brave defenders for the long haul.”

The world needs to supply Ukraine the capabilities it needs to fight today but it also needs the resources and the training required to protect the country in the future and deter Russia. “It means moving urgently to innovate, and to push all of our defense industrial bases to provide Ukraine with the tools that it will need for the hard road ahead,” Austin said. “We’re here because we refuse to live in a world where big powers trample borders by force. Our support for Ukraine’s bedrock right to defend itself doesn’t waver based on any given clash.”

The conflict in Ukraine is changing, according to the secretary, “and so is the mission of this Contact Group.”

The secretary stated that the group must consider the long-term benefits to Ukraine. “We’ll work together to train Ukraine’s forces for the long haul,” the secretary declared. “We’ll work together to help integrate Ukraine’s capabilities and bolster its joint operations for the long haul. We’ll work together to upgrade our defense industrial bases to meet Ukraine’s requirements for the long haul. And we’ll work together for production and innovation to meet Ukraine’s self-defense needs for the long haul.”

Ukraine is making progress against a much greater adversary. “And every day, we see the resolve of the allies and partners worldwide who are helping Ukraine resist Russia’s illegal, imperial and indefensible war of conquest,” he declared. “And we must evolve as the fight evolves.”

Significant contributions have come from many other countries. Britain has given 2.3 billion pounds of military equipment to Ukraine. Germany and Denmark have both announced large packages of military assistance. Poland — a state that is a frontline against Russia — has handed over three battalions with 155 mm self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine.

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