The White House has warned that without the additional appropriation US aid will run out by the end of the year for Ukraine’s fight to retake territory occupied by Russian forces since it invaded in February 2022.
Russia says Ukraine missile strike damaged warship at Crimean port
Russia says Ukraine missile strike damaged warship at Crimean port
Blinken said the latest aid package included air defence munitions, additional ammunition for high-mobility artillery rocket systems, artillery ammunition, anti-armour munitions and over 15 million rounds of ammunition.
Congress has approved more than US$110 billion for Ukraine since Russia’s invasion, but it has not approved any funds since Republicans took control of the House of Representatives from Democrats in January 2023.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said his country can become one of the largest defence producers in the world, and that he is sure the Ukrainian defence industry “can definitely become one of the top 10 most productive and strongest defence complexes in the world” over time.
The industry is already contributing not only to strengthening Ukraine’s own defence capabilities amid the war, but is also significantly helping economic growth and employment, he said during his evening video address on Wednesday.
Zelensky praised the agreement with Western partners, above all the US, on joint weapons production as “one of our greatest political achievements this year.” This makes it possible to build modern military equipment, he said, adding that the production of Western types of weapons is to be further localized.
Earlier, the Ukrainian Minister for Strategic Industries, Olexander Kamyshin, told the press that Ukraine tripled its defence production in the current year.
Additional reporting by dpa