Umerov, Austin discuss ammunition supplies, Ukrainian army’s key needs and ‘Future Force’ preparations

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said in a post on Facebook on Nov. 4 that he had spoken by phone with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to discuss additional ammunition supplies and other key needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the front lines.

Umerov said he had thanked the United States and the Pentagon chief for the new military aid package, and also discussed with Austin the “latest battlefield updates and Future Force preparation status.”

Read also: Congressional inaction constricts US aid to Ukraine — White House

"Grateful for the constant steadfast support," Umerov wrote.

The United States allocated $125 million in security assistance to Ukraine on Nov. 3, in addition to $300 million in arms and munitions transfers under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), overseen by the Pentagon.

The U.S. Department of Defense has provided the following outline of the $300 million tranche:

NASAMS ant-air missiles

HIMARS MLRS munitions

155mm and 105mm artillery shells

TOW anti-tank missiles

Javelin and AT-4 anti-tank systems

Over 3 million rounds of small arms ammunition and grenades

12 trucks for the transport of heavy equipment

Winter equipment, spare parts, etc.

Read also: McConnell supports combined aid package for Israel, Ukraine, to fight new Axis of Evil

The two chambers of U.S. Congress remain divided on whether to approve the White House request for $106 billion in military aid to both Israel and Ukraine.

The House of Representatives wants to consider U.S. aid to the countries separately, potentially reducing security assistance to Ukraine. The Senate, meanwhile, is determined to approve U.S. President Joe Biden’s $106 billion request for Ukraine, Israel, and other priority areas as submitted on Oct. 20.

On Nov. 2, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a separate bill for $14.3 billion in military aid for Israel, which did not include aid to Ukraine. New House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, previously stated that aid packages for Israel and Ukraine should be considered separately, not together as proposed by U.S. President Joe Biden.

The Senate may reject the bill passed by the House and develop its own bipartisan bill instead, said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

On Oct. 31, the White House said that Biden would veto the House Republicans' proposed bill to provide assistance only to Israel.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine