The U.S. announced a security assistance package for Ukraine valued at $225 million, which includes weapons such as Patriot batteries, munitions, artillery, and anti-tank weapons. This latest support is part of the ongoing commitment by the U.S. to help Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression, with over $53.7 billion already committed in security assistance since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III also spoke with his Russian counterpart to emphasize the importance of maintaining communication amid the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
During the NATO summit in Washington, member states reaffirmed their support for Ukraine by committing to launch NATO’s security assistance and training for Ukraine from a command based in Germany. They also agreed to a minimum baseline funding of 40 billion euros within the next year to further assist Ukraine in defending itself. In addition to the support from NATO, individual member nations have pledged their own efforts to assist Ukraine, including providing air defense systems to enhance Ukraine’s capabilities.
In other humanitarian efforts, the U.S. Department of Defense attached a floating pier to the shore of Gaza in order to facilitate the transfer of humanitarian aid. Over 8,000 metric tons of aid have been delivered from the pier to Gaza, with the goal of meeting the emergency food needs of hundreds of thousands of people in the region. While the floating pier has faced challenges due to conditions in the Mediterranean Sea, efforts are ongoing to ensure aid continues to flow into Gaza.
The deployment of the floating pier has also had a positive impact on port facilities in Cyprus, enabling aid to be inspected and delivered directly into Gaza through Israel’s Ashdod Port and other crossings. This has further led to increased truck movement from Jordan directly into northern Gaza to help alleviate the dire humanitarian conditions in the region. The U.S. remains committed to ensuring that aid continues to reach those in need in Gaza and will take all possible action to sustain and increase aid flows to meet the needs on the ground.
