Ukrainian soldiers will be travelling from Kyiv to Poland in the next few days and weeks to receive instruction on the US’s new drone systems.

The new tranche of $800 million in military assistance is expected to include 72 155mm howitzers, 144,000 artillery rounds, the Phoenix Ghost tactical drones, as well as field equipment and spare parts.

President Joe Biden’s decision to quadruple the amount pledged in an arms package announced just last week reflects what is shaping up as a major ground battle in Donbas.

Mr Biden said the new package was tailored to help Ukraine’s forces address the growing Russian offensive in the country’s east, which he said would be a different kind of fight than that in the north around Kyiv, where Ukrainian forces successfully beat the Russian invasion back in the first six weeks of the war.

“To modernise (former US president) Teddy Roosevelt’s famous advice, ‘Sometimes we will speak softly and carry a large javelin.’ Because we’re sending a lot of those in as well.,” the president said.

“We’re in a critical window now of time where they’re going to set the stage for the next phase of this war,” he added. “And the United States and our allies and partners are moving as fast as possible to continue to provide Ukraine … the weapons their forces need to defend their nation.”