The United States on Thursday announced significant defence support totalling $7.9 billion for Ukraine and sanctions against Russia aimed at further curbing its ability to finance aggression. This was announced by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He thanked U.S. President Joe Biden, the Congress and both its parties, and the American people for this decision.
President Zelenskyy called the United States a close ally and expressed gratitude for finding a way to allocate the remaining security assistance to Ukraine. The message was published on Zelenskyy's Telegram.
"I am grateful to the United States for providing crucial means to protect our people. An additional Patriot air defence battery, other air defence equipment and interceptors, drones, long-range missiles and air-to-ground munitions, as well as funds to strengthen Ukraine's defence industry base," the president said.
Zelenskyy believes that "Ukraine and the United States remain close allies committed to the defence of freedom, human life and common security in Europe and beyond." He added that Ukraine has always appreciated the strong bipartisan support in the United States and among Americans. The message came amid claims by House Speaker Johnson, a Republican, about Zelenskyy's trip to a weapons factory in Pennsylvania, a swing state. According to the politician, this trip was an interference in the election because it was attended only by representatives of the Democratic Party, not the Republican Party.
The White House clarified that Biden had ordered the rest of the $5.5 billion worth of US weapons and equipment previously approved by Congress to be delivered to Ukraine. Separately, $2.4 billion will be provided through the so-called Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which will provide Ukrainians with air defence systems, drones and other weapons that will help meet their military needs in the long term.
"To enhance Ukraine's long-range strike capabilities, I have decided to provide Ukraine with long-range Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) munitions," the White House website quoted Biden as saying.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Ukraine will be able to use these missiles only against targets on its own territory.
Biden said that today's aid proves that: "The United States will supply Ukraine with what it needs to win the war."
Regarding the training of additional pilots for the F-16, Biden said that 18 specialists would be trained over the next year.
The sanctions target a global cryptocurrency network that facilitated Russia's evasion of restrictive measures and money laundering.