US announces $400 million military aid package for Ukraine

Mike Brest

March 03, 01:22 PM March 03, 01:22 PM

The Biden administration announced its newest military aid package for Ukraine on Friday worth an estimated $400 million and mainly consisting of ammunition for the weapons it has already provided.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the package, which is the 33rd drawdown of U.S. stockpiles for Ukraine since August 2021, saying in a statement, “We are again reminded of the boundless courage and steadfast resolve of the people of Ukraine as well as the strong support for Ukraine in the international community.”

TIMELINE OF RUSSIA'S YEARLONG WAR IN UKRAINE

“This military assistance package includes more ammunition for U.S.-provided HIMARS and howitzers, which Ukraine is using so effectively to defend itself, as well as ammunition for Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles, Armored Vehicle Launched Bridges, demolitions munitions and equipment, and other maintenance, training, and support,” he added.

A day earlier, Blinken had a brief in-person conversation with his Russian counterpart Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in India. It was their first in-person meeting since Russia invaded Ukraine over a year ago.

During the conversation, which the U.S. diplomat requested, Blinken reiterated the country's long-term support for Ukraine. He also urged Russia to reverse its decision to suspend its participation in the New START nuclear treaty between the two countries, and he pushed Moscow for the release of detained American Paul Whelan.

President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz are set to meet at the White House later on Friday.

The leaders are expected to discuss the war in Ukraine as well as the possibility China could provide lethal aid to Russia for the war.

Biden administration officials have warned for weeks that Beijing was considering such an action, hoping that it could preempt the lethal assistance, but have reiterated that it hasn't seen Beijing do it yet. U.S. officials have threatened consequences if China goes through with it, but officials have declined to specify what that would entail.

"I certainly would expect in the context of talking about what's going on in Ukraine that the issue of a third-party support to Russia could come up," National Security Council coordinator John Kirby said on Thursday in reference to whether Scholz and Blinken would discuss sanctions against China.