During a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in France, US President Joe Biden announced a new military aid package for Ukraine. It includes arms worth $225 million, according to CNN reporter Natasha Bertrand.
“Biden announced a new $225M aid package to Ukraine, which Zelensky thanked him for,” CNN reporter Natasha Bertrand says.
The media also reports that Biden apologized for the months-long delay in approving weapons for Ukraine.
What's in the package
According to media reports, the new aid from the United States will include:
- ammunition for HIMARS rocket artillery systems;
- mortar systems and artillery shells;
- missiles for HAWK air defense systems;
- Stinger anti-aircraft missiles;
- Javelin and AT-4 anti-tank systems;
- 155-mm howitzers;
- armored vehicles
- patrol boats;
- explosives and additional spare parts.
Earlier, the Associated Press wrote that the Ukrainian army would be able to use the weapons from the new package, among other things, to strike at threats inside Russia to protect the city of Kharkiv. In addition, the weapons will be transferred from existing US stockpiles to ensure that they reach the battlefield in Ukraine quickly.
Zelenskyy and Biden's meeting in France
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his American counterpart Joe Biden are meeting today in France, where they arrived on the occasion of D-Day, the 80th anniversary of the Allied landings in Normandy in World War II.
These face-to-face talks between the two leaders are the first since Zelenskyy visited Washington in December 2023. However, Zelenskyy and Biden will have another meeting, namely at the G7 summit to be held in Italy on June 13-15.