Washington DC - The US government is providing another $6 billion in military aid to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia's invasion, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said on Friday.

The latest tranche of weapons will include artillery ammunition, anti-drone systems, as well as missiles for the US-made Patriot air defense systems, Austin said following a virtual meeting of the Washington-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group.

The announcement comes after the Senate approved new aid totaling around $61 billion for Kyiv late on Tuesday evening – thus paving the way for new arms deliveries after months of domestic political deadlock in the US, which is Ukraine's most important backer.

"If Putin prevails in Ukraine, the security consequences would be grave and global," Austin said. "We will not falter, we will not flinch, and we will not fail," he added.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had previously insisted on the delivery of longer-range missiles and air defense systems at the meeting.

The new contracts are to be awarded to American defense companies to build new equipment for Ukraine as part of a US funding program for Ukraine. This means that it could take several months to years before the weapons are delivered.

Ukraine has faced a serious shortage of ammunition in recent weeks, with Russia overwhelming its air defense systems and making significant gains on the front line.

President Joe Biden on Wednesday announced a military package totalling $1 billion just hours after the bill was passed.

This primarily involved equipment for air defense, artillery, missile systems, and armored vehicles from the US military's stocks, which will be used to supply Ukraine immediately.