During a meeting at the White House with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, President Joe Biden revealed a substantial military aid package for Ukraine amounting to $325 million.
This meeting featured discussions on aid appeals between Zelensky, Biden, and other prominent U.S. leaders.
President Biden confirmed that this aid will encompass a range of military equipment, including anti-tank weaponry, cluster munitions, and air defense capabilities.
“Today I approved the next tranche of U.S. security assistance to Ukraine including more artillery, more ammunition, more anti-tank weapons and next week, the first U.S. Abrams tanks will be delivered to Ukraine,” Biden stated during the announcement, NBC News reports.
Addressing the enhancements to Ukraine’s air defense capabilities, Biden emphasized what he believes to be their importance in safeguarding critical infrastructure, especially during harsh winter conditions.
“We also focused on strengthening Ukraine’s air defense capabilities to protect the critical infrastructure that provides heat and light during the coldest and darkest days of the year,” he said.
The generous aid package announcement occurred amid Zelensky’s visit to the U.S. capital, where he engaged in dialogues with lawmakers and administrative officials, expressing gratitude for the continuous support.
Responding to the announcement, Zelensky expressed his appreciation to Biden, saying, “Thank you so much.”
He also acknowledged the solidarity between Americans and Ukrainians, mentioning that he believes Americans are “together with us, with Ukrainians, with ordinary people, all of us.”
Amanda Sloat, the National Security Council senior director for Europe, pointed out that the aid package represents the “fourth package that we will have announced in six weeks.”
She clarified that the new package would exclude long-range ballistic missiles armed with cluster munitions, although Biden hasn’t dismissed the possibility of providing them in the future.
This newly announced aid is distinct from an additional proposal of $24 billion that is awaiting Congressional approval, specifically aimed at assisting Ukraine, NBC News notes.
On Thursday, Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) voiced his opposition to further funding the war in Ukraine.
He characterized Zelensky’s request as “begging for more money,” and argued the funds will end up funding the pensions of Ukrainian politicians and fueling corruption in the country.
“It’s not even just going to armaments,” he said. “We’re funding the pension of their government workers and we complain about bloated government here. They’ve got bloated government and they’ve got corruption. And the American taxpayer—people are struggling in our country, are asked to fund it. I think it’s wrong. And I think most of the American people, frankly, are with me.”
