Russian invasion
Ukraine: EU aid for infrastructure and US military package
Thanks for the support on “all 575 days” of the war: Volodymyr Zelenskyj visits Joe Biden. photo
© Evan Vucci/AP/dpa
The EU is helping Ukraine with another 1.5 billion euros for its infrastructure, and the US government is approving further military aid. There are no ATACMS missiles – but Biden is renewing another commitment.
With this further aid payment, the Eastern European country has received 13.5 billion euros from the EU so far this year. The money is part of a loan program worth up to 18 billion euros that was agreed by EU member states last December for this year. “We are firmly determined to stand by Ukraine and we will continue to make our contribution to rebuilding a modern and prosperous country,” said EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Weapons and equipment from the Pentagon
Meanwhile, the US is providing Ukraine with additional military aid for its defense. Weapons and equipment worth 128 million dollars (around 120 million euros) from US military stocks will be newly approved, as the State Department in Washington announced. The Pentagon will also provide $197 million in weapons and equipment previously approved.
According to the Pentagon, the package with a total value of around $325 million includes, among other things, artillery ammunition and systems to defend against enemy air attacks. This does not include the ATACMS missiles with a range of up to 300 kilometers required from Kiev.
Biden: Abrams battle tanks will be delivered soon
The US government announced the military aid during a visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the US capital Washington. He had previously met with members of the US Congress, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and President Joe Biden to lobby for further support. Since the start of the war, US military aid to Ukraine has amounted to $43.9 billion, according to government figures.
After the meeting with Zelensky, Biden announced that the first M1 Abrams battle tanks promised by the US would be delivered next week. The US government announced in January that it would deliver 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine. In March, the Pentagon spoke of a planned delivery in the fall.
Zelensky: US military aid very powerful
Zelensky thanks the USA for its continued support in the defensive fight against Russia. The new package of US military aid is very powerful and contains “exactly what our soldiers need now,” said Zelensky after the meeting with Biden and various Cabinet members in the White House.
America is also helping to strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses for the coming winter and working to prepare Ukraine’s future armed forces to prevent new attacks on its country. Zelensky emphasized that he thanked the United States not only for the new aid, but for its support on “all 575 days” of the war.