US to deliver longer-range missile systems to Ukraine
Kyiv had asked Washington for weapons that could give the country an advantage in artillery combat

The Biden administration on Tuesday said it will provide long-range missiles to Ukraine while the US unveils a $40 billion aid package for the country that is scheduled to run through September.
The US will officially announce $700 million in new aid on Wednesday, including long-range missile launchers called hears and precision munitions with a range of up to 80 kilometers, senior government officials said.
"The package will include longer-range systems, notably Himar, and ammunition that will allow Ukraine to more accurately hit battlefield targets at longer ranges inside Ukraine and help them repel Russian advances," an official said .
The aid is part of the $40 billion the Biden administration announced last month.
"We acted quickly to send Ukraine a significant amount of arms and ammunition so that it could fight on the battlefield and be as strong as possible at the negotiating table," US President Joe Biden wrote in a report published in the New York Times Comment.
"Therefore, I decided that we will provide the Ukrainians with more advanced missile systems and ammunition that will allow them to more accurately hit key targets on the battlefield in Ukraine."
The decision underscores the careful balancing act Washington is trying to use to help Ukraine achieve decisive successes on the battlefield while avoiding dragging NATO into a larger conflict. Europe is increasingly at odds over how much deadly aid Ukraine should receive, and Washington wants to keep its allies united as the fight drags on.
No missile systems capable of attacking Russia
Biden said Monday Washington would not "send missile systems to Ukraine that can attack Russia." People familiar with the decision said it refers to a different type of multiple rocket launcher system (MLRS) that can fly further than the ones the US will give to Ukraine.
A senior US government official said Ukraine had assured the US it would not use the missiles to attack Russian territory.
Ukrainian officials have asked the Biden administration for a longer range of weapons in hopes of gaining an advantage in artillery battles in eastern Donbass.
Kyiv has urged Washington to send weapons with an even longer range than those announced on Tuesday. These systems, designated ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System), have a range of more than 180 miles.
The Hear's and associated longer-range ammunition will increase the range of the dozens of M777 howitzers that the US has already supplied. Wednesday's pack also includes advanced radars, Javelin missiles, and anti-tank weapons.
