US to provide $350 million to Ukraine in new military aid against Russia, says Antony Blinken

The United States will provide Ukraine with an additional $350 million in new military equipment to fight off Russia’s “brutal and unprovoked assault,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Saturday.

In a statement, Blinken said the third package for the war-hit nation will include “further lethal defensive assistance to help Ukraine address the armored, airborne, and other threats it is now facing”.

Blinken said, “The US Department of Defense will provide an additional $350 million in immediate military assistance to Ukraine to help defend itself from Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war.”

The US statement came amid Russia stating that it was ready to work closely with all constructive forces for resolution of the Ukrainian problem in the interests of peace and stability. Hours ago, Ukraine denied suggestions that it was refusing to negotiate a ceasefire with Russia, but said it was also not ready to accept ultimatums or unacceptable conditions.

Blinken said that last fall when Russia started amassing troops on the border with its pro-Western neighbour, President Joe Biden authorised $60 million in immediate military assistance to Ukraine, then another $200 million in December as President Vladimir Putin’s threat became more acute.

This means total US security assistance committed to Ukraine over the past year now exceeds a billion dollars, the secretary said, while not specifying the kind of weaponry was involved in the aid.

“It is another clear signal that the United States stands with the people of Ukraine as they defend their sovereign, courageous, and proud nation,” he said.

The new assistance follows a series of US and other western sanctions against Russian banks and oligarchs in an effort to punish Putin and his inner circle for the invasion of Ukraine and cripple the Russian economy.