Munitions, anti-tank rockets in $2.6 billion US pledge for Ukraine: Officials

The United States will send Ukraine about 500 million in ammunition and equipment and will spend more than 2 billion to buy an array of munitions radar and other weapons in the future US officials said as the Ukrainian troops prepare for a spring offensive against Russian forcesThe ammunition rounds along with grenade launchers and vehicles will be taken from military stockpiles so they can be in the war zone quickly the officials saidThe 21 billion in longerterm aid which is being provided under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative will buy missiles for the National Advanced SurfacetoAir Missile System or NASAMS as well as radar and other weapons according to the officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the aid had not yet been announced An announcement is expected as soon as TuesdayThe new weapons and funding come as Russia has continued to bombard Ukraine with longrange missiles and the hotly contested battle for the eastern city of Bakhmut drags on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview that unless his country wins that fight Russia could begin building international support for a deal that could require Ukraine to make unacceptable compromisesAlso readAnil Jaisinghani daughter tried to bribe extort money from Amruta Fadnavis to save him from criminal cases CourtZelenskyy said if Moscows forces take Bakhmut then Russian President Vladimir Putin would sell this victory to the West to his society to China to IranThe latest US package with its mix of shortterm and longterm aid includes a wide variety of ammunition from Pentagon stocks 23 million rounds of small arms ammunition and 200000 grenades as well as funding for more hightech weapons including counter drone rocket systems air surveillance radar and satellite communications terminals and servicesIt brings the total amount of US security assistance to Ukraine to more than 35 billion since Russia invaded in February 2022 Defense leaders testifying on Capitol Hill last week said the US is prepared to support Ukraine for as long as neededNATO SecretaryGeneral Jens Stoltenberg echoed that sentiment on Monday as the alliances foreign ministers were preparing to meet in Brussels The ministers on Tuesday will discuss how we can step up our support including by continuing to strengthen Ukraines armed forces Stoltenberg said Our support is for the long haulThe White House said last week that it has new evidence that Russia is looking again to North Korea for weapons as it also prepares for a spring offensive Russia would provide Pyongyang with needed food and other commodities in returnUS officials also are concerned that the president of Belarus has warned that Russian strategic nuclear weapons might be deployed in his country along with part of Moscows tactical nuclear arsenalPutin has said he planned to place tactical nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus Those weapons are comparatively shortrange and lowyield Strategic nuclear weapons such as missileborne warheads would be a greater threatBelarusian President Alexander Lukashenko while talking up the possibility of nuclear weapons has also called for a ceasefire in Ukraine He said a truce must have no preconditions and all movement of troops and weapons must be haltedRussia however has rejected a cease in fighting claiming that Ukraine has refused to enter talks under pressure from its Western alliesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever