WASHINGTON, July 19 - The Pentagon announced a new $1.3 billion package of long-term military aid to Ukraine on Wednesday, including four air defense systems and an undisclosed number of drones, The Associated Press reported.

The new assistance comes on the heels of a meeting Tuesday by defense and military leaders from around the globe to discuss ongoing efforts to give Ukraine the weapons it needs in its battle to retake territory seized by Russian forces.

Meanwhile, the Russian military is preparing for possible attacks on civilian shipping vessels in the Black Sea, the White House warned on Wednesday.

The developments come days after Russia suspended participation in a wartime deal that allowed grain to flow from Ukraine to countries around the world.

Included in the U.S. aid, which is being provided under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, will be funding for four National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System, or NASAMS, and munitions for them, as well as Phoenix Ghost and Switchblade drones.

Unlike the presidential drawdown authority that the Pentagon has used repeatedly over the past 17 months to pull weapons from its own stocks and quickly ship them to Ukraine, the USAI-funded equipment could take a year or two to get to the battlefront. As a result, this new package will do little to help Ukraine in its current offensive, but will help in future defense of its country.

The aid package included funding for artillery, mine-clearing equipment, a variety of missiles and munitions, trucks and other vehicles, port security equipment and systems to counter drones.

Overall the U.S. has provided more than $40 billion in military aid to Ukraine since Russia invaded in Feb. 2022. Of that, about $18 billion has been in longer term USAI funding, including the latest announcement.

Since leaving the Black Sea Grain Deal this week, Russia has already struck Ukraine’s grain export ports in Odesa with missile and drone attacks. Some 60,000 tons of grain were destroyed in the attacks.

“Our information indicates that Russia laid additional sea mines in the approaches to Ukrainian ports,” White House National Security Council spokesman Adam Hodge said in a statement. “We believe that this is a coordinated effort to justify any attacks against civilian ships in the Black Sea and lay blame on Ukraine for these attacks.”

The Russian Defense Ministry has declared international waters in northwestern and southeastern parts of the Black Sea “temporarily dangerous” for shipping. That followed Ukraine’s pledge to continue grain shipments despite the Russian pullout from the deal.

The ministry warned it will see any incoming vessel as laden with military cargo. (ap/ez)