Biden announces new $150 million weapons package for Ukraine
By Idrees Ali, Patricia Zengerle and Mike Stone
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden signed a brand new $150 million weapons package deal for Ukraine on Friday, offering extra artillery munitions, radar and different tools within the newest in a collection of transfers to assist Kyiv repel Russia’s invasion.
“Right this moment, america is constant our robust help for the courageous individuals of Ukraine as they defend their nation towards Russia’s ongoing aggression,” Biden stated in a press release.
America has rushed $3.4 billion price of armaments to Ukraine since Russia invaded on Feb. 24, together with howitzers, anti-aircraft Stinger methods, anti-tank Javelin missiles, ammunition and recently-disclosed “Ghost” drones.
The brand new package deal might be price $150 million and embrace 25,000 155mm artillery rounds, counter-artillery radar, jamming tools, subject tools and spare elements, a U.S. official stated.
Reuters was first to report the most recent tranche of weapons.
The brand new transfers would come from the remaining $250 million within the Presidential Drawdown Authority, which permits the president to authorize the switch of extra weapons from U.S. shares with out congressional approval in response to an emergency.
Final month Biden proposed a $33 billion help package deal for Ukraine, together with greater than $20 billion in army support. Congress should approve the brand new funding package deal. Home of Representatives and Senate leaders have stated they need to transfer rapidly, however haven’t but stated when they may vote on Biden’s request.
Biden urged lawmakers to work rapidly, saying the most recent weapons authorization “almost exhausted” drawdown authority funding. “Congress ought to rapidly present the requested funding to strengthen Ukraine on the battlefield and on the negotiating desk,” his assertion stated.
America has been coaching some Ukrainian forces, exterior Ukraine, on how one can use methods just like the howitzers.
The brand new package deal was introduced as Biden ready to affix different Group of Seven leaders in a video name on Sunday in a present of unity with Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskiy a day earlier than Russia marks its Victory Day vacation.
Russian President Vladimir Putin casts the struggle in Ukraine as a battle to guard Russian audio system there from persecution by Nazis and to protect towards what he calls the U.S. menace to Russia posed by NATO enlargement.
Ukraine and the West reject the fascism declare as baseless and say Putin is waging an unprovoked struggle of aggression.
Ukraine and its allies say that after failing to grab the capital, Kyiv, Russian forces have made sluggish progress of their objective of capturing the nation’s east and south however bombardments have affected an increasing number of civilians.
Russia denies the allegations and says it targets solely army or strategic websites, not civilians.
(Reporting by Idrees Ali, Patricia Zengerle and Mike Stone; Further reporting by Steve Holland and Humeyra Pamuk; Enhancing by Diane Craft and Daniel Wallis)
