Zelenskyy-Biden meeting
President Joe Biden told Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy before their meeting today that the United States was "firmly committed" to Ukraine's territorial integrity and offered Kyiv $60 million in new security aid as it grapples with aggression from Moscow, Reuters has reported.
"The United States remains firmly committed to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russian aggression," Biden said at the beginning of a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart in the Oval Office.
Joint statement on the US-Ukraine strategic partnership
The United States stands with Ukraine and will continue to work to hold Russia accountable for its aggression, the two countries said in the joint statement on the US-Ukraine strategic partnership published on the White House website.
Ukraine and the United States intend to continue holding Russia accountable for ongoing systemic abuses in the territories of Ukraine controlled or occupied by Russia and to seek the release of political prisoners and hostages held in these territories.
"The United States is announcing a new $60 million security assistance package, including additional Javelin anti-armor systems and other defensive lethal and non-lethal capabilities, to enable Ukraine to more effectively defend itself against Russian aggression," it reads.
As far as the Nord Stream 2 project is concerned, the statement says: "The United States and Ukraine continue to oppose Nord Stream 2, which we view as a threat to European energy security. The United States intends to continue using measures envisaged in legislation and energy diplomacy, including through the recent appointment of a senior advisor for energy security, to maintain Ukraine’s transit role and security of supply during this period of energy transition and to prevent the Kremlin’s use of energy as a geopolitical weapon."
Ukraine-US agreements
The State Service for Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine and the US State Department have signed an agreement to arrange a secure communication line.
Ukraine received 20,000 vials of bamlanivimab and 40,000 vials of etesevimab injections, which are used to treat Covid-19 in the United States, the Ukrainian Health Ministry has said. The humanitarian aid worth $20 million was handed over to Ukraine during Zelensky's visit to the United States.
Nord Stream 2
Ukraine's ambassador to Germany, Andriy Melnyk, has told Die Welt that the West should grant Ukraine NATO membership as soon as possible as a security guarantee after the launch of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.
Donbas
The Ukrainian delegation to the trilateral contact group on Donbas has demanded that the Russian side take immediate steps to stop ceasefire violations.
Eight ceasefire violations by Russia-backed militants were registered on 31 August.
Nine Ukrainian servicemen were killed and 28 wounded in Donbas in August.
Coronavirus
The coronavirus daily infection rate has been growing in Ukraine.
On 31 August, Ukraine logged in 2,075 new cases, the Health Ministry said.