Lloyd Austin: U.S. will soon announce $2.3B security package for Ukraine

July 3 (UPI) -- The United States will soon announce a new $2.3 billion security assistance package for Ukraine, according to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.

The Pentagon chief made the announcement Tuesday alongside his Ukrainian counterpart, Rustem Umerov, at the U.S. military headquarters.

"This package under presidential drawdown authority will provide more air defense inceptors, anti-tank weapons and other critical munitions from U.S. inventories," Austin said during the press conference.

"It will also enable the United States to procure more Patriot and NASAMS air defense interceptors, which will be provided on an accelerated timeline by the re-sequencing of deliveries for some foreign military sales."

A breakdown of the package's specific contents was not released the public.

With giving Ukraine more than $50 billion in military assistance since Russia invaded in February 2022, the United States is by far Kyiv's largest backer.

And the package announced Tuesday -- among the largest unveiled by the United States for Ukraine -- is the latest from the Biden administration since Congress finally approved $60 billion in lethal assistance for the besieged ally following months of Republican stonewalling as Kyiv's armory ran dry.

"Make no mistake," Austin said. "Ukraine is not alone and the United States will never waver in our support."

Umerov thanked Austin for the assistance and "all the support you have been giving us."

"With that support, we have stopped Russia, stopped the aggression toward [our] people, towards our values, national interests," he said.

Umerov's visit to the Pentagon came ahead of next week's NATO summit, and Austin told the Ukrainian defense minister that the United States will aid Kyiv's push for membership in the multination defensive alliance.