On Thursday, the United States announced a new $325 million military aid package for Ukraine, which is expected to include additional artillery shells and missiles for HIMARS systems.
The package will likely also include TOW guided anti-tank missiles, anti-tank mines, and other means of fighting enemy armor.
Later this week, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chief of the Joint Staff General Mark Milley will travel to Germany to meet with the 50-nation Ukraine contact group to discuss further assistance to Kyiv in anticipation of a planned Ukrainian counteroffensive.
The meeting at Ramstein Air Base on Friday is expected to discuss Ukraine's needs for ground-based air defense systems, armored vehicles and artillery.
According to experts, the efforts of the contact group to provide Ukraine with weapons and ammunition exceeded expectations, demonstrating the West's determination to support Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.
At the same time, despite all the help, Ukrainian forces still lack weapons and ammunition on the battlefield, and, according to leaked reports, the US military fears that Kyiv may run out of Soviet air defense missiles by May, which would increase Ukraine's vulnerability to air strikes.
Background. As we wrote, the Pentagon warned of the depletion of Ukrainian air defense systems by May.