Joe Biden announced $800 million in new military aid on Thursday to help Ukraine’s military repel Russian forces from Donbass, swearing that Vladimir Putin “will never succeed” in occupying Ukraine.
“We are in a critical period where they will prepare the ground for the next phase of this war”, underlined the American president about Russia.
The United States and its allies are acting “as quickly as possible” to continue to provide Ukraine with “the weapons its forces need”, assured the American president.
The Pentagon specified that this new tranche of aid to Ukraine included 72 Howitzer howitzers and their vehicles, 144,000 shells and 121 Phoenix Ghost tactical drones.
These new type of killer drones “were developed rapidly by the US Air Force to meet specific requests from Ukraine”, said a senior US Department of Defense official.
The first armaments of this new tranche will arrive in Ukraine “by the end of the weekend”, specified a second Pentagon official who requested anonymity.
This new tranche of $800 million brings aid to Ukraine to more than $4 billion since the start of Joe Biden’s mandate, including $3.4 billion since the start of the invasion of Ukraine by the Russia on February 24, the Pentagon said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Joe Biden in a tweet.
“This help is needed now more than ever! It saves the lives of our fighters, democracy, freedom, and it will help us restore peace,” he said.
“Maintaining Unity”
Joe Biden also deemed “questionable” Russia’s control of the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, claimed by Vladimir Putin. “There is still no proof that Mariupol is completely lost,” insisted the American president.
The Russian president ruled on Thursday that his forces had “successfully” taken control of Mariupol and ordered to besiege the last Ukrainian fighters entrenched on the Azovstal metallurgical site, rather than attack them.
In order to continue to provide military assistance to Ukraine, Joe Biden has indicated that he will seek additional funds from the US Congress.
The United States also intends to provide $500 million in additional economic assistance for the Ukrainian government so that it can pay civil servants’ salaries and pensions and continue to provide public services.
In terms of economic sanctions, all ships linked to Russia will also be banned from American ports, announced Joe Biden.
“This means that no vessel flying the Russian flag, or owned or operated by Russian interests will be allowed to dock in a US port or gain access to our shores,” he said. ” No. No “.
Westerners’ Unity sends “an unambiguous message” to Russian President Vladimir Putin, he added: “He will never succeed in controlling and occupying all of Ukraine. This will not happen”.
He assured that American support would continue over time and called on the allies to maintain their support for kyiv.
“We have the capacity to do this for a long time. The question is whether we are going to be able to maintain the support of the international community for putting pressure on Putin” and continue to enforce international sanctions against Russia.
“The most important thing is to maintain unity,” he insisted.