US announces additional aid for Ukraine

Washington, March 17

The US has announced an additional $800 million in security assistance to Ukraine, bringing the total of American aid committed to Ukraine to $1 billion in just the past week, the White House announced in a statement.

The additional funding also raised the total US assistance to Ukraine since the start of the Joe Biden administration to $2 billion, according to the statement issued on Wednesday.

The new $800 million assistance package includes 800 Stinger anti-aircraft systems; 2,000 Javelin, 1,000 light anti-armour weapons, and 6,000 AT-4 anti-armour systems; 100 Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems; 100 grenade launchers, 5,000 rifles, 1,000 pistols, 400 machine guns, and 400 shotguns; over 20 million rounds of small arms ammunition and grenade launcher and mortar rounds; 25,000 sets of body armour; and 25,000 helmets.

The statement went on to say that the US "continues to expedite the authorisation and facilitation of additional assistance to Ukraine from our allies".

"At least 30 countries have provided security assistance to Ukraine since the Russian invasion began (on February 24). In 2022, the Department of State authorised third-party transfers of defensive equipment from more than 14 countries, a number that continues to grow as allies and partners increase support to Ukraine."

Regarding the latest assistance, President Biden said the "package on its own is going to provide unprecedented assistance to Ukraine" as "(Russian President Vladimir) Putin is inflicting appalling devastation and horror on Ukraine, bombing apartment buildings, maternity wards, hospitals".

While acknowledging that "this could be a long and difficult battle", Biden said that "the American people will be steadfast in our support of the people of Ukraine in the face of Putin's immoral, unethical attacks on civilian populations".

"We are united in our abhorrence of Putin's depraved onslaught, and we're going to continue to have their back as they fight for their freedom, their democracy, their very survival. nd we're going to give Ukraine the arms to fight and defend themselves through all the difficult days ahead.

"We're going to continue to mobilise humanitarian relief to support people within Ukraine and those who have been forced to flee Ukraine," he added.

Biden also pledged to will support Ukraine's economy with direct financial assistance as well.