Biden announces "significant" new security assistance package for Ukraine

WASHINGTON, June 1 (KUNA) -- US President Joe Biden announced Wednesday a "significant new security assistance package to provide timely and critical aid to the Ukrainian military." "This new package will arm them with new capabilities and advanced weaponry, including HIMARS with battlefield munitions, to defend their territory from Russian advances," Biden said in a statement.
"We will continue to lead the world in providing historic assistance to support Ukraine's fight for freedom." He added "thanks to the additional funding for Ukraine, passed with overwhelmingly bipartisan support in the US Congress, the United States will be able to keep providing Ukraine with more of the weapons that they are using so effectively to repel Russian attacks." Biden stressed that the US "will stand with our Ukrainian partners and continue to provide Ukraine with weapons and equipment to defend itself." "The people of Ukraine continue to inspire the world with their courage and resolve as they fight bravely to defend their country and their democracy against Russian aggression," he remarked.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a separate statement that "pursuant to a delegation from the President, I am authorizing our eleventh drawdown of arms and equipment from US Department of Defense inventories for Ukraine's defense, valued at up to USD 700 million." He added "this will bring total US military assistance to Ukraine to approximately USD 4.6 billion since Russia launched its brutal and unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24." He affirmed that "US military assistance will strengthen Ukraine's position to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity, secure victories on the battlefield, and ultimately strengthen Ukraine's position at the negotiating table." "The people of Ukraine continue to fight to defend a democratic Ukraine that is free to determine its own future," he remarked.
"The United States, together with our Allies and partners, will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes." (Pickup previous) si.mb