WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden announced he approved a new $325 million military aid package for Kyiv as he welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the White House on Thursday.
While the package will not include the ATACMS long-range missiles that Zelensky has been clamoring for for months, it will contain additional missiles, rockets and ammunition that the US has sent to Ukraine in previous packages.
The new package will include an undisclosed number of AIM-9M missiles for air defense, HIMARS rockets, Avenger air defense systems, 155mm and 105mm artillery shells for howitzers, Tube and Spear Launched Optically Tracked missiles and AT- 4 anti- armor.
The US also sent more than 3 million rounds of small arms ammunition, as well as .50 caliber machine guns intended to take out Iranian-made military drones that have been used by the Russian military to monitor and kill Ukrainian troops, the Pentagon said in a statement.
In addition to the weapons, the package will also include 59 light tactical vehicles, demolition munitions to clear obstacles, as well as various “spare, maintenance and other field equipment,” according to the Pentagon.
President Joe Biden announced he approved a new $325 million military aid package for Kyiv.via REUTERS
Biden welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the White House on Thursday.ZUMAPRESS.com
Although Zelensky won’t get the ATACMS he sought, he said it was “very important” to meet with Biden at the White House on Thursday.
“Today I am in Washington to strengthen our coalition to defend Ukrainian children, our families, our homes, freedom and democracy in the world,” he said. “I look forward to this President for our discussion for the benefit of our country and the world.”
The weapons and equipment, all of which will come from Defense Department stockpiles, were approved as some Republicans in Congress questioned the future of sending additional military aid to Kyiv. However, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Thursday said he believes the majority of lawmakers – both Democrats and Republicans – still support Ukraine.
Thursday’s aid package is the 47th that the Biden administration has sent to Ukraine – the bulk of which was contributed after Russia invaded the country on February 24, 2022. AFP via Getty Images
Amid reported skepticism among certain GOP members, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy declined Zelensky’s request to speak before a joint session of Congress while he was in Washington on Thursday. The Ukrainian president’s earlier speech to parliament has rallied support for additional aid for Ukraine’s fight to expel Russian troops from its territory.
Acknowledging that some polls have shown support for arming Ukraine among the American public, Pentagon spokesman Air Force General Patrick Ryder said it was important “to re-emphasize why Ukraine is important.”
“Besides helping our Ukrainian partners to defend themselves against unprovoked aggression, the implications not only for European security but also for US and international security are very significant,” he said, warning that Russian President Vladimir Zelensky might attack other countries if he wins war
Thursday’s aid package is the 47th that the Biden administration has sent to Ukraine — most of which was contributed after Russia invaded the country on February 24, 2022, according to the Pentagon. The new $325 million package brings the total sent to Ukraine since the start of the war to about $44 billion.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
