US finalizing package of long-range air-defense missiles for Ukraine: Sullivan

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan says Washington is in the process of finalizing a weapons package, including long-range air-defense missiles, for Ukraine, more than four months into Russia's military offensive in the former Soviet country.

Sullivan said at a press conference on Monday that the US would send medium- and long-range air missile defense systems to Ukraine as part of the next aid package to the European country.

The national security adviser added that the finalization of the latest package could be announced as soon as this week.

“I can confirm that we are in fact, in the process of finalizing a package that includes advanced air defense capabilities. As [US President Joe Biden] told [Ukrainian] President [Volodymyr] Zelensky, we do intend to finalize a package that includes advanced medium- and long-range air defense capabilities for the Ukrainians, along with some other items that are of urgent need, including ammunition for artillery and counter-battery radar systems,” Sullivan noted.

Sullivan added that Biden, who is currently in Germany for a summit with leaders of the Group of Seven (G7), had already made the pledge to his Ukrainian counterpart.

The announcement came after earlier on Monday, an unnamed source familiar with the issue told AFP that Biden has made the procurement of advanced air defense systems for Ukraine a priority. The Source also identified “advanced medium- to long-range surface-to-air missile defense system” as “NASAMS,” which has been developed by Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace (KDA) and Raytheon.

The decision to further arm Kiev with an array of surface-to-air missiles was made after Washington and its European allies made clear that sending warplanes to Ukraine was too risky, potentially drawing them directly into the conflict against Russia.

Since the onset of Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine on February 24, the US and its European allies have been sending advanced weapons into Ukraine to help its military fend off Russian forces.

Ukraine hopes to outmaneuver the Russians by obtaining more advanced weapons. Kiev heavily relies on its Western allies to regain the Donbass, composed of the two breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, where the Russian military has focused its attention on. Pro-Russia forces had held parts of Luhansk and Donetsk regions even before the Russian onslaught began.

Russia has time and again warned that the West’s flood of weapons will not force Moscow to end the operation before achieving its objectives. The Kremlin says the unprecedented sanctions against Russia, plus the flow of arms into Ukraine, would only prolong the war.

Sullivan further told reporters on Monday that Zelensky had called on the G7 leaders to provide Kiev with “additional air defense capabilities that could shoot down missiles out of the sky” after Russia reportedly launched a missile attack on the Ukrainian capital a day earlier.

“What we’re trying to do with this point is tailor our military assistance to the particular, immediate needs of Ukrainians on the battlefield at a given point in time,” Sullivan said.

US likely to send $450 million in military aid to Ukraine: Officials

The United States is likely to offer an additional $450 million in military aid to Ukraine, including more long-range rocket systems, according to a report.

Last week, the White House announced an additional $450 million in military assistance for Ukraine, including four more multiple launch rocket systems and artillery ammunition for other systems.

The rocket systems are said to be more High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS).

Earlier this month, the Biden administration also announced that it would provide Ukraine with an additional $1 billion in military aid that included anti-ship rocket systems, artillery rockets, howitzers and ammunition.

In late May, Biden stressed that Washington would not provide Ukraine with rocket systems capable of reaching Russia. His comment came after Ukrainian officials sought a longer-range system called the Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS), a high-mobility automatic system that can fire up to 12 MLRS rockets miles away in less than 60 seconds.

US pauses selling large, armable drones to Ukraine due to security reasons: Report

The US’s plan to sell large and armable drones to Ukraine has hit a snag due to security concerns, a report says.

In early June, it was also revealed that Washington planned to sell Ukraine at least four MQ-1C Gray Eagle drones that can be armed with Hellfire missiles for battlefield use against Russia.

However, the sale faced technical objection from the Pentagon's Defense Technology Security Administration, which is charged with keeping high value technology away from enemy hands, after it conducted a deeper review of the plan, Reuters reported.

The plan was abandoned due to concerns the radar and surveillance equipment on the advanced drones could cause a security risk for the US if it fell into Russian hands, adding that such consideration had been overlooked in the initial review of the plan, which had been under discussion since March.

Ukrainian president calls for heavy arms from allies, EU membership

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky repeats calls on Ukraine’s Western allies for heavy arms and urges the European Union (EU) to grant membership to his country.

Zelensky calls on World leaders to help end war by year end

Separately on Monday, the Ukrainian president urged the G7 leaders, who have gathered in Germany for a summit, to do their utmost to end the war with Russia by the end of the current year.

Zelensky, according to AFP, made the plea in his closed-door address via video-link to the gathering of leaders in the German Alps, saying that if winter arrived, battle conditions would make it tougher for his troops to mount counteroffensives. 

The Ukrainian leader also urged the G7 leaders to further intensify sanctions against Russia. Zelensky pleaded with them to "not lower the pressure and to keep sanctioning Russia massively and heavily.”

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