News Desk :
President Joe Biden on Thursday vowed that Russian President Vladimir Putin would never take control of Ukraine, as the United States announced new military aid for Kyiv.
“Our unity at home with our allies and partners, and our unity with the Ukrainian people, is sending an unmistakable message to Putin — he will never succeed in dominating and occupying all of Ukraine. That will not happen,” Biden said.
Authorizing another $800 million in U.S. military assistance to Ukraine, Biden said it was necessary to help Kyiv’s forces repel Russian fighters in the critical battles unfolding in the eastern region of the country, reports news agencies.
“This package includes heavy artillery weapons, dozens of howitzers and 144,000 rounds of ammunition,” Biden said in a short White House speech. He said the new arms shipment was particularly aimed at helping Ukraine’s forces fight in the Donbas region, which is flatter, more open terrain than where earlier fighting had occurred to the west.
Biden said the new assistance, on top of another $800 million package announced last week, “almost” exhausts congressional authorization for U.S. military aid to Ukraine.
But the president said he would soon ask Congress for even more money for Ukraine’s forces.
Biden said the United States and its Western allies remain united in their resolve to assist Ukraine in fighting back against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s eight-week invasion.
“We’re in a critical window of time now where (Russian forces are) going to set the stage for the next phase of this war,” Biden said. “The United States and our partners and allies are moving as fast as possible to continue to provide Ukraine with the equipment it needs, its forces need, to defend its nation.”
“The most important thing is holding the world together” against Russia, Biden said. “So far, so good.”
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Biden also said the United States will provide an additional $500m in direct economic assistance to the Ukrainian government, as well as impose a ban on Russian ships in US ports.
Thursday’s announcement came eight days after the US revealed a previous $800m military aid package containing artillery systems, artillery ammunition, helicopters, and armoured personnel carriers.
“Today, I’m announcing another $800m to further augment Ukraine’s ability to fight in the east and the Donbas region,” Biden said on Thursday. “This package includes heavy artillery weapons, dozens of howitzers and 44,000 rounds of ammunition to go with those howitzers. It also includes more tactical drones.”
The US president told reporters that Washington has been moving weapons and equipment to Ukraine at “record speed”, crediting the American assistance for helping Ukrainians hold off Russia’s military advances.
Biden also reiterated his pledge to hold Putin accountable for the war. The US and its allies have been piling sanctions on the Russian economy, as well as on elites from Putin’s inner circle.
On Thursday, Biden also said the US will ban Russian ships from its ports.
“That means no ship that sails under the Russian flag or that is owned or operated by a Russian entity will be allowed to dock in a United States port or access our shores, none,” he told reporters, adding that the move was taken in coordination with Washington’s European allies.
