By Maria Ortiz
May 24, 2024, 10:12 PM EDT
The United States is sending $275 million in military assistance to Ukraine as part of “efforts to help Ukraine repel Russia’s attack near Kharkiv,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Friday.
The top U.S. diplomat said in a statement that the new aid package “contains urgently needed capabilities” for Ukrainian troops while They fight to stop Russia’s advances towards the key northeastern city.
“We will convey this new assistance as quickly as possible so that the Ukrainian military can use it to defend its territory and protect the Ukrainian people,” Blinken said in a statement.
In a Friday X post, Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky expressed gratitude for the new aid package and said that “it is critical at this time, as the enemy intensifies attacks along the front line.”
“Today in Kharkiv I witnessed firsthand the importance of strengthening our warriors to protect our people, our cities and our communities. Freedom is the value that both nations cherish. To protect it, we need continued strong support from the United States and other allies,” Zelensky wrote.
Russian forces have advanced toward Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, after launching a surprise cross-border assault in mid-May.
Ukrainian forces have been forced to confront weapons shortages as they struggle to slow advances.
The latest US military assistance package, the fifth since the passage of a multibillion-dollar national security funding package, includes artillery rounds, Javelin and TOW missiles, ammunition for high-mobility artillery rocket systems (HIMARS), demolition munitions and anti-armor mines, tactical vehicles and bulletproof vests, chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear protective equipment, Blinken said.
Keep reading:
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• Russia announces progress in its new ground offensive in Ukraine