President Joe Biden on Wednesday (15) announced a new $1 billion (about R$5 billion) in weapons aid to Ukraine, including guns, missiles and ammunition.
Biden broke the news to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a 41minute call:
“I have informed President Zelenskyy that the United States is providing Ukraine with an additional $1 billion in security assistance, including additional artillery and coastal defense weapons, as well as ammunition for artillery and advanced missile systems,” Biden said.
2 of 3 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky surrounded by soldiers — Photo: Press Service of the Presidency of Ukraine/Disclosure via REUTERS
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky surrounded by soldiers — Photo: Press Service of the Presidency of Ukraine/Disclosure via REUTERS
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said he spoke to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to thank him for “crucial military assistance”.
“We urgently need more heavy weapons, which will be delivered regularly,” Kuleba said on Twitter.
Biden also announced an additional $225 million in humanitarian aid to people in Ukraine, including providing clean water, medical supplies, food and money for families to buy essentials.
- Ukraine estimates it has received $12 billion in foreign aid
- The US wants to see Russia “weakened”.
Russian UN ambassador Vassily Nebenzia accused western countries of “waging a proxy war with Russia”. He told reporters: “I want to say to the Western countries that supply arms to Ukraine the blood of civilians is on their hands.”
3 of 3 A Ukrainian soldier carries a USmade Javelin antitank gun March 13, 2022 — Photo: REUTERS/Gleb Garanich
A Ukrainian soldier carries a USmade Javelin antitank gun March 13, 2022 — Photo: REUTERS/Gleb Garanich
Ukraine is urging the United States and other Western nations for rapid arms shipments amid mounting pressure from Russian forces in the eastern Donbass region.
“We need all these weapons to focus on one moment to defeat the Russians, and not just every two or three weeks,” said Oleksandra Ustinova, a member of Ukraine’s parliament.
The Russians continue their offensive to completely dominate the Ukrainian Donbass region