Views: 5
Biden Announces $425 mn Ukraine Arms Package
US President Joe Biden announced a $425 million arms package for Kyiv Wednesday in a call with President Volodymyr Zelensky, ahead of a farewell visit to Berlin to discuss Ukraine, the White House said.
The package includes air defense and armored vehicles, said a readout of the call, adding that Biden had briefed Zelensky “on his efforts to surge security assistance to Ukraine over the remainder of his term in office.”
Biden would also hold a virtual meeting of Ukraine’s allies in November, it added, as he tries to shore up international support for Kyiv before a possible return of Donald Trump to the White House in January 2025.
The United States would in coming months provide hundreds of air defense missiles, artillery, hundreds of armored personnel carriers and thousands of additional armored vehicles, it added.
Zelensky meanwhile “updated President Biden on his plan to achieve victory over Russia, and the two leaders tasked their teams to engage in further consultations on next steps.”
Zelensky said on X that he had spoken with Biden and thanked him for the package, which included “long range weapons.”
“I am grateful to President Biden, both parties in Congress, and the American people for the $425 million defense package announced today,” said Zelensky, who is due to meet EU leaders on Thursday.
The United States has provided around $175 billion in both military and economic assistance to Ukraine during the war, despite frequent opposition from Republicans.
The call came on the eve of Biden’s whirlwind trip to Germany, where Ukraine will be high on the agenda.
