Defense Department preparing $6 billion weapons contract for Ukraine: Report

The Department of Defense is finalizing a $6 billion weapons contract that will send more weapons to Ukraine, marking one of the country’s largest military packages for the European country so far, "two U.S. officials" told Politico on Thursday.

The large package is on top of a $1 billion weapons package the United States already sent to Ukraine on Wednesday, after President Joe Biden signed a $95 billion foreign aid package that passed Congress on Tuesday. The $6 billion contract will also come out of the $61 billion in the aid package that was allocated for Ukraine.

The unnamed officials said the new package could be announced as early as Friday, and will include Patriot air defense munitions, artillery ammunition, drones, anti-drone weapons, and air-to-air missiles for fighter planes. But the equipment is not expected to reach Ukraine for several years because the U.S. hires defense firms to build new equipment for Ukraine, rather than pulling equipment from current stockpiles.

The contract comes as Ukraine’s stockpile is depleted by Russian forces. Russia has been firing approximately 10 rounds of ammunition for every Ukraine round.

“Depending on who you believe, [Russia] is at 6 to 7 percent of their gross domestic product spent on their military, we’re at about 3.2 percent,” Pentagon acquisition chief William LaPlante said Wednesday. “Literally right now there are planes flying probably with equipment to Ukraine ... All we need is to sign the bill and we’re gone. We’re writing contracts this afternoon.”

The U.S. also reportedly sent long-range missiles for the Army Tactical Missile System secretly to Ukraine last month.

The contracts come after the United Kingdom announced its largest package for Ukraine on Tuesday, which includes 1,600 missiles. France has also sent resources to Ukraine, and the Czech Republic is expected to send ammunition to Ukraine in June.