Ukrainian soldiers fire a mortar towards Russian positions at the front line, near Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Aug 12, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)

WASHINGTON / KIEV - The United States announced on Tuesday an additional package of military assistance to Ukraine worth $250 million.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement that the new package includes AIM-9M missiles for air defense, munitions for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, 155mm and 105mm artillery ammunition, and over 3 million rounds of small arms ammunition.

With the Russia-Ukraine conflict still grinding on, there has been growing domestic opposition, especially from the Republican Party, to using US taxpayer money to increase the funding to Ukraine indefinitely

The latest assistance is executed under a previous directive from President Joe Biden using the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA). Weapons and equipment being provided through this approach are drawn directly from the Department of Defense's (DoD) inventories for Ukraine.

This is the Biden administration's 45th PDA-related military aid to Ukraine since August 2021, according to a DoD list of the latest weapons heading to Ukraine.

ALSO READ: Kiev denounces EU nations' plans to extend grain import ban

The United States has committed more than 43.7 billion dollars in military assistance to Ukraine since the Biden administration took office, including more than 43 billion dollars since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February 2022, according to the DoD.

With the conflict still grinding on, there has been growing domestic opposition, especially from the Republican Party, to using US taxpayer money to increase the funding to Ukraine indefinitely.

During the first GOP primary debate on Aug 23, several of the party's candidates for the 2024 presidential election voiced their frustration over the Biden administration's policy of supporting Ukraine militarily for "as long as it takes."

"I would not. And I think that this is disastrous," businessman-turned-political-candidate Vivek Ramaswamy said when asked during the debate whether he would support the current White House's approach to arming Ukraine. "We have to put the interests of Americans first, secure our own border instead of someone else's," he said.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, also running for president, said US aid to Ukraine should be conditioned on European countries providing more funding.

"I will have Europe pull their weight. Right now they're not doing that," DeSantis said. 

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (right), poses with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during their bilateral meeting following the conclusion of the G7 Summit Leaders' Meeting in Hiroshima, western Japan, May 21, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)

Security guarantees

Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky discussed security guarantees for his country during phone talks with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, the president's press service said Tuesday.

Zelensky praised the joint declaration on security guarantees for Ukraine adopted by the Group of Seven (G7), urging Japan to conclude bilateral agreements under the document.

"We are ready to start this negotiation process with Japan as soon as possible," Zelensky stressed.

ALSO READ: China calls for cessation of hostilities in Ukraine

He invited Japan to participate in the next round of consultations on Ukraine's Peace Formula at the level of national security advisors and in the Global Peace Summit.

During the conversation, the parties also discussed the prospects for the extension of the Black Sea "grain corridor" for exporting foodstuffs from Ukraine by creating alternative routes.

Another topic of the talks was the preparation for the Ukraine Recovery Conference scheduled to take place in Japan early next year. 

Xinhua, Ukrainian president, Japanese PM discuss security guarantees over phone