As the fight against Russia’s invasion enters its ninth month, the US has announced an additional $400 million in security assistance to Ukraine.
According to the Defense Department on Friday, the new package “underscores the continued US commitment to supporting Ukraine by meeting their most urgent needs, while also building the capacity of Ukraine’s armed forces to defend its sovereignty over the long term.”
The latest assistance to the US to the beleaguered European country has increased to over $18.2 billion since the start “of Russia’s unprovoked and brutal invasion February 24,” the statement read.
According to a report from VOA, the U.S. military assistance includes refurbished HAWK air defence missiles; funding for 45 refurbished T-72B tanks with advanced optics, communications and armour packages; 1,100 Phoenix Ghost tactical unmanned aerial systems; 40 armoured Riverine Command Boats; funding to refurbish 250 M1117 armoured security vehicles; tactical secure communications systems and surveillance systems; and funding for training, maintenance and sustainment.
In his speech on Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the United States for its latest military assistance and said it was the armoured vehicles in particular that “we very much need to move forward at the front.”
“I am grateful to President Biden, the U.S. Congress and the entire American people for the continued and vital assistance,” he said.
Earlier Friday, Jake Sullivan, the White House national security adviser, said during a visit to Kyiv that U.S. support for Ukraine would remain “unwavering and unflinching” following next Tuesday’s midterm congressional elections.
“We fully intend to ensure that the resources are there as necessary and that we’ll get votes from both sides of the aisle to make that happen,” Sullivan told reporters during a briefing.