This news follows President Joe Biden's announcement that sending these vehicles, a staple of the U.S. Army, to Ukraine is being considered to help fight against Russia's invasion.
The package is expected to be unveiled on Friday. Around $800 million of the funds will come from Foreign Military Financing to help Ukraine procure weapons, with the balance coming from Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) for Ukraine. This authority allows the U.S. to quickly transfer defense articles, such as Humvees, trucks, and munitions, from stocks without congressional approval in response to an emergency.
Russia Accuses U.S. of Plotting "Dangerous Course" with Ukraine Weapons Package
The decision to send Bradley Fighting Vehicles to Ukraine as part of a new weapons package has been met with criticism from Russia. Russian ambassador Anatoly Antonov has accused the U.S. of plotting a "dangerous course" and stated that there could be no more talk of the weapons transfers being of a defensive nature.
Antonov claims the U.S. administration's actions "indicate a lack of desire for a political settlement." The U.S. has sent approximately $21.3 billion in security assistance to Ukraine as the conflict with Russia continues, killing tens of thousands. In response to the escalating situation, the U.S. has sent increasingly more advanced weapons to Ukraine, including High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS).
Most recently, the U.S. has pledged to send a Patriot missile system to defend against Russian missile and drone attacks. However, this system's training and other logistics have yet to be worked out.
