JAKARTA - The United States (US) has again announced plans to add military assistance to Ukraine, amid efforts to retaliate against Kyiv against Russia.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Kyiv on Thursday to promise new $2 billion worth of security assistance.
Blinken's second visit to the Ukrainian capital since Russia's invasion in February came as Ukraine reported progress in its efforts to retake territory occupied by Russia near Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv.
Meeting Volodymyr Zelensky's President at Kyiv, Foreign Minister Blinken said his visit came at an "important moment" for Ukraine, noting that the retaliatory attacks proved effective.
"I think the reason for this success is because it is your homeland, not Russia, and it is very basic," Foreign Minister Blinken told President Zelensky.
President Zelensky said Ukraine was grateful for the United States' "big support", which he said helped Ukraine "return our territory and land."
Foreign Minister Blinken announced a package of foreign military financing worth US$2.2 billion to Ukraine and 18 other countries, which is considered a risk to Russian aggression in the future. A official previously said the package would be worth US$2 billion.
About $1 billion will be allocated to Ukraine, an official said. Meanwhile, the rest will be divided between 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 is meant to defend sovereignty, modernize security forces, enhance partnerships with the NATO trans-Atlantic military alliance and strengthen the capacity "to counter Russian influence and aggression," the official said in an email.
Assistance comes in the form of grants and US loans, which allow countries to purchase weapons and defense equipment made in the United States. It requires the US Congress to be approved.
Earlier, President Joe Biden also approved a separate US$675 million worth of armament for Ukraine, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced earlier on Thursday, when ministers met in Germany to discuss how to support Ukraine in the long term.
The latest armament aid will include more ammunition, Humvees and anti-tank systems, officials said.
The latest aid brings the total US security assistance to Ukraine to 15.2 billion US dollars since President Biden took office in January 2021, Blinken said.
"All these security aids (to Ukraine) are trying to help ensure Ukraine succeeds in this retaliatory attack," another State Department official, who briefed reporters in southeastern Poland.
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