Kyiv, 8 September 2022 (TDI): The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken made an unannounced trip to Ukraine on Thursday. During the trip, he offered over $3 billion in financial aid and arms to assist Ukraine during the Russian invasion.
I have directed a $675 million drawdown of arms and equipment from @DeptofDefense stockpiles for Ukraine, as well as an additional $2.2 billion to support long-term defense investments in Ukraine and 18 neighbors. The United States continues to be #UnitedWithUkraine.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) September 8, 2022
Remarks by Secretary of State
“Ukraine’s extraordinary front-line defenders continue to courageously fight for their country’s freedom,” Blinken said in a statement announcing the funds on Thursday afternoon.
“And President Biden has been clear we will support the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes” he added.
He stated that the government will make $2.2 billion available for long-term investments. The funds will help to strengthen the security of Ukraine and 18 of its neighbors in Europe.
Most of the countries (Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia) are NATO members.
Assistance will also be provided to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Georgia, which are not members of the alliance.
Also read: US announces $775 million for Ukraine
According to the State Department, this money is in addition to $675 million in military aid, which includes additional High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), additional munitions, and armored vehicles.
The combined funds provided on Thursday, more than $2.87 billion, will bring the total security assistance to Ukraine, since the Russian invasion, to $13.5 billion.
This is Blinken’s second trip to the Ukrainian capital since February when the current crisis began.
Blinken also met with United States Embassy personnel and visited Ohmatdyt children’s hospital, where he met with doctors, and children from eastern Ukraine. Blinken also met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.
Amid terrible loss, the courageous and resilient team at @usembassykyiv continues to demonstrate the best of our ideals. I expressed my thanks to @USAmbKyiv and all of the Ukrainians and Americans at our Embassy for their service to our country and the U.S.-Ukraine partnership. pic.twitter.com/PtqLperZ24
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) September 8, 2022
Since the beginning of Russia’s incursion in February, the United States has offered Ukraine billions of dollars in military and budgetary aid, including a $40 billion aid package authorized by Congress in May. Aid in the millions has already been distributed.
