U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin unveiled a brand new $400 million navy support bundle for Ukraine, together with munitions, armored autos, and anti-tank weapons, throughout a solidarity go to to Kyiv on Monday.
“I’m pleased to announce today a commitment of a $400 million presidential drawdown package to provide your forces with additional munitions, armored vehicles and anti-tank weapons,” Austin mentioned, talking at a gathering with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Austin arrived in Kyiv early Monday in a present of help for Ukraine at a crucial second in its struggle with Russia and simply weeks earlier than the U.S. election.
His go to comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urges Western allies to elevate restrictions on using long-range weapons and presses for a right away invitation to hitch NATO.
But Ukraine fears the prospect of decreased U.S. navy help ought to Donald Trump be elected to the White House subsequent month.
“I’m back in Ukraine for the fourth time as secretary of defense,” Austin wrote on X, posting an image of himself at Kyiv railway station.
He mentioned his beforehand unannounced go to demonstrated that “the United States, alongside the international community, continues to stand by Ukraine.”
The U.S. Defense Department mentioned Austin would meet Ukrainian leaders and “underscore the U.S. commitment to providing Ukraine with the security assistance it needs to defend itself from Russian aggression on the battlefield.”
Austin will even ship a speech, it mentioned.
U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday together with the leaders of Germany, France and Britain pledged to keep up help for Ukraine and condemned “Russia’s continued war of aggression.”
A high-ranking Ukrainian presidency official mentioned Austin’s go to would doubtless give attention to a so-called “victory plan” unveiled by Zelenskyy to allies final week.
“We expect that there will be more determination and understanding that we need to strengthen (military support for Ukraine), especially in the context of North Korea,” mentioned the official, talking on situation of anonymity.
About 1,500 North Korean troopers are in Russia acclimatizing and can prone to head to the entrance strains, Seoul’s spy company has mentioned, with extra troops set to depart quickly.
Russia staged extra aerial bombardments on Ukraine. The governor of Zaporizhzhia area mentioned a minimum of one particular person had been killed and 14 extra had been wounded in a strike that broken a kindergarten.
“The body of a dead man has been recovered from the rubble in Zaporizhzhia,” Gov. Ivan Fedorov mentioned on social media, including that 30 buildings had been broken.
The Kremlin claimed to have annexed the southern frontline area in 2022 alongside three others regardless of not having full navy management over the territory.
Source: www.dailysabah.com