America has pledged a brand new army help of $325 million for Ukraine. In accordance with studies, the army help package deal will embrace air defence programs and cluster munitions.
US President Joe Biden introduced the brand new package deal as he hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the White Home. Zelenskyy’s visits come amidst intensified opposition to continued funding to Ukraine within the US Congress.
The brand new help, referred to as presidential drawdown help for Ukraine comes as Joe Biden has requested the US Congress for an extra $24bn to fund Ukraine’s army and humanitarian wants. The Guardian quoted US Secretary of State Antony Blinken as saying that the package deal would come with further air defence, artillery ammunition, cluster munitions and different arms.
The White Home assembly on Thursday was the sixth in-person assembly between the 2 leaders.
“Mr. President, the courageous individuals of Ukraine — and that is not hyperbole; the individuals of Ukraine have proven huge bravery and have impressed the world with their dedication to defend these rules,” Biden advised Zelenskyy within the Oval Workplace of the White Home.
“Along with our companions and allies, the American persons are decided to see to it that we do all we are able to to make sure the world stands with you, and that’s our overwhelming goal proper now,” he mentioned, welcoming the Ukrainian chief for the third time on the White Home this 12 months.
“Our common dialogue has proved that our nations are actually, actually allies and strategic associates. And we tremendously respect the very important help offered by the US to Ukraine to fight Russian terror,” Zelenskyy mentioned.
Reiterating his pledge to defend Ukraine’s sovereignty, Biden mentioned in the course of the bilateral assembly later that the US will proceed to help Ukraine’s diplomatic effort to ship a simply and lasting peace that protects its sovereignty and territorial integrity. “Russia alone stands in the way in which of peace. It might finish at the moment. As a substitute, Russia is searching for extra weapons from Iran and North Korea. It will violate a number of UN Safety Council resolutions that Moscow itself voted to place in place,” he mentioned.
Biden added that subsequent week, the primary US Abrams tanks will probably be delivered to Ukraine. The 2 leaders additionally reached a brand new settlement to strengthen Ukraine’s defence capabilities, beneath which Washington will assist Kyiv enhance its air defence in the course of the winter season to assist defend its individuals.
“We additionally targeted on strengthening Ukraine’s air defence capabilities to guard the essential infrastructure that gives warmth and lightweight in the course of the coldest and darkest days of the 12 months. That features offering a second HAWK air defence battery with regular deliveries of further HAWK and different programs every month by means of the winter. A brand new package deal of launchers and interceptors that is going to guard Ukraine — Ukraine’s grain silos, hospitals, colleges, and energy vegetation,” Biden mentioned.
“These capabilities will assist Ukraine harden its defences forward of what’s more likely to be a troublesome winter full of renewed Russian assaults on Ukrainian essential infrastructure to attempt to deprive harmless individuals of requirements like warmth and electrical energy,” he mentioned.
“As a result of President Putin can’t obtain his goals on the battlefield, he has lowered to and is resorting to assaults which can be meant to plunge atypical individuals’s lives into chilly and darkness. We’re going to do the whole lot –working with Ukrainians to make that process increasingly more troublesome for Russia to have the ability to pull off,” he added.
Later, Zelenskyy advised reporters that in the course of the assembly, the 2 leaders agreed to work on the long run drive of Ukraine. Russia launched a “particular army operation” in opposition to Ukraine in February final 12 months. “It is essential. It’s a strategic determination that may permit us to stop any new aggression in opposition to us, in opposition to Ukraine, and our individuals. And this will probably be one of many outcomes of the Vilnius G7 Declaration and our bilateral safety preparations,” he mentioned.
US Nationwide Safety Advisor Jake Sullivan mentioned that the assembly between Biden and Zelenskyy got here at a “vital” second. “This assembly comes at a big second, as Ukrainian forces proceed to make progress of their counteroffensive, and simply after Russia launched yet one more brutal wave of airstrikes in opposition to 5 cities — 5 cities in Ukraine that hit essential civilian infrastructure and knocked out energy for many individuals in many alternative components of the nation,” Sullivan mentioned at a information convention.
(With PTI inputs.)