U.S. announces $3 billion in aid on Ukrainian independence day

The U.S. will send Ukraine nearly $3 billion in additional military aid, the Biden administration announced Wednesday (which also happens to be Ukraine's independence day and the six-month anniversary of its war with Russia).

The new, $2.98 billion aid package will "fund contracts for as many as three types of drones, and other weapons, ammunition, and equipment that may not see the battlefront for a year or two," The Associated Press writes, per officials. It's the largest package from the U.S. to date.

"This will allow Ukraine to acquire air defense systems, artillery systems and munitions, counter-unmanned aerial systems, and radars to ensure it can continue to defend itself over the long term," President Biden said of the donation. "Today and every day, we stand with the Ukrainian people."

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Unlike previous packages, the weapons will be commissioned from outside defense contractors — meaning it might take a while for them to arrive on the battlefield, Axios reports. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby, however, noted that supplies like ammunition should be available immediately.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also took to Twitter on Wednesday to thank Biden for the "unprecedented package," noting that, "Together we will win!"