The members of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group remain unified in support of Kyiv in the ongoing conflict with Russia, United States Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin said on Tuesday.
Days after Ukraine received delivery of American-made cluster munitions, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that Moscow too has a stockpile of cluster munitions and will “consider using them” against Ukraine “if they are used against us,” CNN reported.
The announcement came following months of debate within the Biden government about whether to provide Ukraine with the controversial weapons banned by over 100 countries including key US allies.
US President Joe Biden on Sunday spoke with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and discussed the recent events in Russia, the White House said.
In a statement, State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said, "Secretary of State Antony J Blinken met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba today in London on the margins of the Ukraine Recovery Conference. Secretary Blinken underscored the United States' support for Ukraine's
Ahead of the package's release, defence officials told VOA that the latest aid also includes TOW anti-tank guided missiles, anti-tank mines and AT-4 anti-armour weapons needed to push back Russian ground forces that have dug into occupied areas of Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made an appeal to the heads of the IMF and World Bank on Wednesday and renewed his call to confiscate Russian Central Bank assets held around the world and use them to help rebuild Ukraine.
"Today, pursuant to a delegation of authority from President Biden, I am authorizing our 34th drawdown of U.S. arms and equipment for Ukraine valued at USD 350 million," said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a statement issued by the US State Department on Monday.
"U.S. and India enjoy a good partnership. We look forward to continuing to develop and foster our relationship with the Indian military," Ryder said during a Pentagon press briefing on the anniversary of Russia's Ukraine invasion.
The package pulled USD 425 million from existing Defence Department stocks, and USD 1.75 billion in Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative funds. The new package marks USD 29.3 billion provided to Ukraine since Russia's started its military operation last February.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has thanked US President Joe Biden for providing Kyiv with a defense package of USD 2.5 billion in new weaponry, and munitions for Ukraine as the country prepares for a new stage in the ongoing conflict with Russia.