The United States has pledged another $2.675 billion in aid to Ukraine and other countries to bolster security around Europe amid Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on September 8 that the White House would use $2 billion from the Foreign Military Financing program to bolster the security of Ukraine and 18 of its neighbors -- including some NATO countries -- and regional security partners "most potentially at risk for future Russian aggression."
The announcement came hours after U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the administration of President Joe Biden had approved a further $675 million worth of weapons for Ukraine, adding Washington is seeing "demonstrable success" on the battlefield by Ukraine against Russian troops, who invaded the country in late February.
"This is the Biden administration's 20th drawdown of equipment from U.S. stocks for Ukraine since last August," said Austin at the start of a meeting on September 8 at the Ramstein air base in Germany, adding the package would include 105mm howitzers, precision-guided GMLRS rockets, and artillery ammunition.
Including the aid announcements on September 8, total aid from the United States to Ukraine now totals $15.2 billion under the Biden administration.
Austin said the defense ministers meeting at Ramstein will discuss issues such as how to coordinate the training of Ukrainian troops.
Fighting has intensified in recent weeks as Ukraine launches counteroffensives to retake areas Russian troops gained control of earlier in the war.
By RFE/RL
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