Financial Times: " U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke at the fifth meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, a grouping of western defence officials aimed at co-ordinating and boosting arms supplies to Ukraine..." (Scroll down farther)
✓ The State Department did not publicly disclose Mr. Blinken’s travel in advance for security reasons.
✓ In Germany, Mr. Austin said that the new package of weapons included air-launched HARM missiles designed to seek and destroy Russian air defense radar; guided multiple-launch rocket systems known as GMLRS; howitzers and other artillery; armored ambulances; and small arms.
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✓ The State Department said the $2 billion package, which will be drawn from pools of money already authorized by Congress but whose specific allocation Congress must approve, would be divided roughly in half between Ukraine and 18 other nations. They are Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.
✓ The money will be used “build the current and future capabilities” of Ukraine’s armed forces and those of the other countries, including by strengthening their cyber and hybrid warfare capabilities, specifically to counter Russian aggression, the State Department said.
Secretary of State Blinken offers big aid package on unannounced visit to Ukraine.jpg)
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YIV, Ukraine — Secretary of State Antony Blinken made an unannounced trip to Kyiv on Thursday, where he announced almost $3 billion worth of financial aid and weapons to help Ukraine and its neighbors during the Russia invasion.
"Ukraine's extraordinary front-line defenders continue to courageously fight for their country's freedom," Blinken said in a statement Thursday afternoon announcing the new tranche of funding. "And President Biden has been clear we will support the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes."
He said the administration will make $2.2 billion available for long-term investments "to bolster the security of Ukraine and 18 of its neighbors," many of which are NATO allies that face the risk of potential future Russian aggression.
That amount comes atop $675 million in military aid to include more High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), as well as more munitions and armored vehicles, according to the State Department. This sum was also announced earlier Thursday by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who is in Germany at a meeting with defense counterparts from around the world.
The combined funding announced Thursday — over $2.87 billion —
will bring the total security assistance to Ukraine since Russia
launched its full-scale ground invasion on Feb. 24 to $13.5 billion...Since the start of Russia's invasion in February, the U.S. has promised billions of dollars in military and budgetary aid to Ukraine,
including a $40 billion aid package passed by Congress in May. Millions
of aid has already been dispersed. At the six-month mark of the
conflict, polling showed that a majority of Americans believe the U.S. should continue to support Ukraine in the war."
US announces new $675mn weapons package for Ukraine
The US has announced a new $675mn weapons package for Ukraine on top of more than $11bn provided since just before Russia launched its invasion of the country in February.
“Ukrainian armed forces have inspired the world with their determination to defend their democracy . . . in Russia’s reckless and ruthless war of choice,” US defence secretary Lloyd Austin said at a meeting of western and Ukrainian defence chiefs in Germany’s Ramstein air base.
He spoke at the fifth meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, a grouping of western defence officials aimed at co-ordinating and boosting arms supplies to Ukraine.
“We are here to renew our commitment and to intensify our momentum to support the brave defenders of Ukraine for the long term,” Austin said.
News of the additional weaponry came as Ukraine said its forces had made significant gains in counter offensives this week against Russian troops occupying eastern and southern regions.
“Russian forces continue to cruelly bombard Ukrainian cities and civilians with missiles and artillery fire, but Ukrainian forces have begun their counter offensive,” Austin added.
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