Biden announces $325M aid package to Ukraine after meeting with Zelenskyy

Washington, The Gulf Observer: The U.S. will provide Ukraine with an additional $325 million in military aid, President Joe Biden announced Thursday during a White House meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The package includes air defense capabilities, cluster munitions, anti-tank weapons and other equipment.

“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 said. “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.”

The announcement was made during Zelenskyy’s visit to Washington, D.C., where he appealed to lawmakers and administration officials for more assistance.

Zelenskyy thanked Biden for the new aid following the announcement. He said Americans are “together with us, with Ukrainians, with ordinary people, all of us.”

“Thank you so much,” he added.

Ahead of the meeting, National Security Council senior director for Europe, Amanda Sloat, discussed the aid package on MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports.”

“It’s the fourth package that we will have announced in six weeks,” Sloat said, adding that air defense “is the most critical capability that the Ukrainians need now.”

Sloat added that the new package will not include long-range ballistic missiles that are equipped with cluster munitions — tiny bomblets that disperse widely on a target. She noted, however, that Biden has not ruled out providing them in the future.

This package is separate from the additional $24 billion that the president wants Congress to approve for Ukraine.

Before the meeting began in the Oval Office, Biden and Zelenskyy gave brief remarks to the reporters. Biden said that no nation will be secure if the U.S. does not help Ukraine in defending its territory against Russia. Zelenskyy thanked Biden and Congress for frank and constructive dialogues during their meetings on Thursday.

Biden’s meeting with Zelenskyy comes as part of the Ukrainian leader’s second trip to Washington since Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022.

Earlier in the day, the Ukrainian president met with a bipartisan group of House members and met with about 70 senators shortly after. A number of Republicans, especially those in the House, are skeptical about approving more aid to Ukraine.

In the meeting with senators, Zelenskyy took half a dozen questions on topics including a plan for victory and what Ukrainians need most from the U.S. in terms of financial and military aid.

After Biden and Zelenskyy met in the Oval Office, both then joined an expanded bilateral meeting in the East Room with other top administration officials including Vice President Kamala Harris.

The first ladies of both nations participated in the visit as well.

Zelenskyy’s trip to Washington also included a meeting at the Pentagon with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and outgoing Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley.

In his Tuesday speech at the United Nations General Assembly, in New York City, Biden reiterated support for Ukraine and emphasized that “Russia alone bears responsibility for this war.”

“If we allow Ukraine to be carved up, is the independence of any nation secure? I’d respectfully suggest the answer is no,” Biden said in his speech. “We have to stand up to this naked aggression today and deter other would-be aggressors tomorrow.”

Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said Thursday that he declined a request from Zelenskyy to address a joint session of Congress because of time constraints given the busy legislative week, in remarks first reported by Punchbowl News. McCarthy also noted that Zelenskyy had already addressed Congress.