Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been directed by US President Joe Biden to provide up to $350 million in immediate help for Ukraine’s security and defense.
This announcement comes after Biden spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for 40 minutes on Friday, February 25, during which they discussed “specific defense aid.”
This is the third withdrawal of funds provided from the United States to Ukraine in recent months, according to a new White House letter issued late Friday.
According to an administration official, previous orders have been for $60 million and $250 million, bringing the total over the last year to over a billion dollars.
The State Department is anticipated to make a statement with additional information soon.
Residents in Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, awoke to explosions and the sounds of war for the third morning in a row, as Russian troops attempted to take over the city.
After days of severe warfare on the outskirts as Russian troops marched on the city, bomb blasts were reported inside the capital on Saturday morning. As Russian troops confront severe resistance from Ukrainian soldiers and citizens defending their city, gunfire was heard close to the city center. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky promised that Ukrainians will stay and fight for their homeland in a national address delivered Friday night, accusing Russia of attacking civilian infrastructure.
According to a representative for Zelensky, the President has accepted a Russian proposal to hold talks and is willing to discuss peace and a truce.
On Friday, Russia, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, vetoed a UN Security Council resolution denouncing the invasion of Ukraine.
China, India, and the United Arab Emirates did not participate in the vote. Following the voting, a group of 50 countries released an united statement accusing Russia of abusing its position by obstructing the resolution.