Joe Biden to announce $800 million in security aid to Ukraine

Washington, United States of America:

US President Joe Biden will announce $800 million in new security aid to Ukraine on Wednesday, a White House official said.

The announcement, expected at 11.45 a.m. (1545 GMT), said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity late Tuesday, said “the total (aid) announced in the past week alone is $1 billion.”

Zelensky is set to renew his appeal for more aid in his virtual address to Congress early Wednesday, as some US lawmakers pressure the White House to take a tougher line on Russia’s invasion.

Biden on Saturday already authorized Ukraine to purchase additional military equipment worth $200 million. It also came in for military equipment, on top of the $350 million that Washington authorized on February 26—at the time, the largest such package in American history.

The White House official did not specify what would be included in the $800 million in security aid to be announced Wednesday.

But over the past year the US has provided Ukraine with more than 600 Stinger missiles and about 2,600 Javelin anti-armor systems, as well as radar systems, helicopters, grenade launchers, guns and ammunition and other equipment.

“The US remains by far the single largest donor of security aid to Ukraine,” the official said.

Zelensky’s pleas for help to defend his country from Russia’s deadly attack have become increasingly desperate, and he has repeatedly urged Washington, the European Union and NATO for military hardware, including planes as well as Also included is a no-fly zone.

Biden has denied the no-fly zone, warning it would trigger a disastrous war with nuclear-armed Russia.

However, there is a growing clamor for a more assertive US stance on both sides of Congress.

Zelensky’s Wednesday speech will be his second speech to members of Congress this month, but will likely be to a much larger audience than his March 5 appearance, when he called for Russian-made planes to be delivered to his Air Force. .

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