DOD Announces Smaller Ukraine Aid Package Amid Austin Visit To Kyiv

The Pentagon on Nov. 20 announced another batch of military aid to Ukraine following Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s surprise visit to top officials in Kyiv.

The aid amounts have dwindled, however, in comparison to earlier batches as the Defense Department awaits a supplemental funding package from Congress.

The latest $100 million tranche—a drawdown of existing Pentagon stocks—includes Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, one High-Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), artillery rounds, anti-armor munitions, small arms and other aid.

Austin made an unannounced visit to Kyiv, where he spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. The officials discussed current operational needs and longer-term steps to bolster the nation’s military, including delivery of Lockheed Martin F-16s.

Speaking briefly with reporters, Austin said although these systems will be important, there is “no silver bullet in a conflict like this—it really depends on the right capabilities and also integrating those capabilities in meaningful ways.”

Ukraine’s slow counteroffensive shows it has been a “tough fight, a grinding fight,” he said.

In a Nov. 16 briefing before the aid was announced, Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said the department has had to “parse down” its support for Ukraine in recent weeks because a requested supplemental package for additional funding has not been approved on Capitol Hill.

“You have seen smaller packages, because we need to parse these out—because we don’t know when Congress is going to pass our supplemental package,” she said.

Meanwhile, the U.S. and Ukraine are also looking at ways to improve Kyiv’s own defense industrial base for the long term. The White House announced Nov. 17 that the U.S. government will host a two-day Defense Industrial Base Conference Dec. 6-7 in Washington, which will bring together Ukrainian industry and government representatives “to explore opportunities for co-production and other industrial cooperation in Ukraine.”

Participants will also include the U.S. National Security Council and the Commerce, Defense and State departments, along with Ukrainian counterparts from the office of the president and the Defense, Strategic Industry and Foreign Affairs ministries.