US announces new $300 million package for Ukraine, but opposes strikes inside Russia

The United States on Wednesday (May 31) announced a fresh USD 300 million arms package for Ukraine. The package includes air defence systems and tens of thousands of ammunition rounds. However, the US has warned Ukraine that the weaponry should not be used to carry out attacks within Russia.

“We have been very clear with the Ukrainians privately — we’ve certainly been clear publicly — that we do not support attacks inside Russia. We do not enable and we do not encourage attacks inside Russia,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.

The US Defense Department said that the latest package brings the value to US security assistance to Ukraine to USD 37.6 billion so far.

"The United States will continue to work with its allies and partners to provide Ukraine with capabilities to meet its immediate battlefield needs and longer-term security assistance requirements," the Pentagon said in a statement.

Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Since then, the US has led an unprecedented effort by NATO and other allies to provide Ukraine with military, securityas well ashumanitarianaid.

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The latest package has come just when Ukraine is preparing for a counter-offensive. The manoeuvre is aimed at pushing Russian forces back from occupied territory in the east and south of the country.

The assistance also comes after a spate of attacks made in shadowy circumstances on targets inside Russia itself, including an unprecedented barrage of drone attacks on Moscow.

Ground rules laid out

Kirby said that the US has laid out some ground rules.

“We don't tell them where to strike. We don't tell them where not to strike,” he said. “Ultimately, President (Volodymyr) Zelensky and his military commanders decide what they're going to do.”

However, "we certainly don’t want to see attacks inside Russia that are being propagated, that are being conducted, using US-supplied equipment."

He said that in spite of growing worries over this, the White House is confident that Ukraine will not use the US-built F-16 fighter jets to carry out attacks beyond Ukraine borders. European countries are set to provide Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets.

"We have gotten that assurance at various levels," Kirby said.

Kirby said that while Washington is full-heartedly backing the Ukrainian effort to defeat the Russian invasion, it wants to avoid situations that "suck in the West and NATO and the United States" and to "avoid World War III."

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The Pentagon said the $300 million package includes munitions for Patriot air defense systems, AIM-7 air defense missiles, Avenger air defense systems and Stinger anti-aircraft missiles.

(With inputs from agencies)

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