U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has announced an additional military aid package to Ukraine worth $400 million (a similar figure in euros) to «help its brave defenders protect their country from Russian aggression.»
Blinken has highlighted in a statement that this is the 25th arms and equipment package delivered by the United States to Ukraine since August 2021 and detailed that it «includes weapons, ammunition and equipment from U.S. Department of Defense inventories.»
«This delivery will bring total U.S. military assistance to Ukraine to an unprecedented level of nearly $19.3 billion since the start of this Administration,» he noted, before stressing that «the United States will continue to stand, along with more than 40 allies and partners, by the side of the people of Ukraine as they defend their freedom and independence with great courage and endless determination.»
«The air defense, long-range and precision-fire capabilities we are delivering are carefully calibrated to benefit Ukraine on the battlefield as it advances on Kherson and Kharkov,» Blinken said in his statement, posted on the State Department’s website.
In this regard, he stressed that the United States «will continue to support Ukraine so that it can defend itself and be in the strongest possible position when the time comes to sit down at the negotiating table.» «We stand united with Ukraine,» he reiterated.
The President of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelenski, has shown his gratitude to his American counterpart, Joe Biden, in a message on his account on the social network Twitter in which he has also had words to the «friendly population of the United States for showing solidarity again» with the European country.
«The aid package includes Avenger air defense systems and missiles for Hawk air defense systems. Together we are building an air shield to protect Ukrainian civilians. We are bringing victory closer to the aggressors,» he assessed.
