The President of the United States, Joe Biden, announced this Thursday (21) a new package of economic and military aid to Ukraine worth US$ 1.3 billion (more than R$ 6 billion). The goal is to help the country in the fight against Russian invaders focused on eastern Ukraine.
Biden promised to work with the US Congress to create a steady flow of arms, ammunition and money to Kyiv. The American said the new shipment of military aid would be sent “straight to the front lines for freedom.”
1 of 1 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a video speech posted on social media — Photo: reproduction
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a speech in a video posted on social networks photo: reproduction
- The US will give Ukraine more weapons to fight Russia
- What weapons will the US give to Ukraine and what are the possible implications for the war?
“Putin is betting on our loss of interest,” Biden said of the Russian president. He said the Kremlin leader hopes that “the unity of the West will break and we will prove him wrong again”.
The new help package includes the submission of:
- $800 million artillery,
- 144,000 rounds of ammunition,
- and drones to reinforce Ukrainians in the fighting in the Donbass region.
The new delivery adds another $2.6 billion in military aid to Ukraine already approved by Biden.
Washington will also provide Ukraine with $500 million in direct economic aid to pay for government employees’ salaries, Social Security and other programs. Since the Russian invasion began, the US has already sent $1 billion in economic aid to Kyiv.
Overall, Biden said the $6.5 billion in security aid that Congress passed last month as part of a $13.6 billion sincewar military aid package could soon run out.
Russia speaks of “unexpected consequences” if US continues to send weapons to Ukrainian army: newspaper
With the latest announcement, the US President has already authorized the deployment of a total of $3.4 billion in military aid since the Russian invasion began on February 24.
The funds approved by Congress also include approximately $6.8 billion in direct economic assistance to refugees and allies in the waraffected region, as well as additional funds for U.S. government agencies enforcing sanctions against Moscow and others lobbying for the Deploy protection against cybercrime.
“Next week, I will submit an additional budget proposal to Congress for the uninterrupted supply of arms and ammunition,” the American leader said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Biden but said his country needs around $7 billion a month to recoup economic losses.
With tens of thousands of buildings destroyed and essential infrastructure destroyed, “we will need hundreds of billions of dollars to rebuild,” Zelenskyy said while virtually attending a World Bank meeting in Washington.