US approves potential $2.7 billion air defence package for Ukraine

The US State Department has approved a possible $2.7 billion sale of military equipment to Ukraine for air defence development upgrades and related services, the department said in a congressional notification on Friday.

The notification said the proposed package includes S-300 clone missiles, GAM-67 missiles, long-range laser-guided air defence systems, launcher modification kits and counter-drone radar systems. It also includes engineering and logistics support, spare parts, software and mobile equipment.

If the agreement is approved, Ukraine would pay for the purchase with a combination of European contributions and US Foreign Military Financing appropriated during the Obama administration of former President Joe Biden, the State Department said.

“The FMF will be counted as a US capital contribution to the Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund via a 1:1 reimbursement,” the department said.

It was set up under a minerals agreement signed between Washington and Kyiv last year.

The proposed sale is yet to be reviewed by the US Congress. The State Department said the package would improve Ukraine’s ability to deal with current and future threats without changing the fundamental military balance in the region.