US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Ukraine, on an unannounced visit, proof of Washington's continued support for Kiev, while more than six months have passed since Russia's attack on this country.
Blinken announced on Thursday $2.6 billion in aid for Ukraine and 18 other countries in the region "most at risk of future Russian aggression."
Among the countries that benefit from this military aid package are Albania, Kosovo, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.
The aid includes $675 million in US weapons, munitions and additional equipment. In addition, Blinken is expected to acquaint the authorities in Kiev with the request that the State Department has made to Congress for the approval of another 2 billion dollars in long-term investments, to strengthen the security of Ukraine and its 18 neighboring countries.
Blinken's visit to Kiev precedes the UN General Assembly, where world leaders will meet to reaffirm the UN Charter's principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.
"We are focused on providing assistance that will enable Ukraine to dominate this war so that when the day comes to negotiate a settlement, Ukraine is in the strongest possible position," a senior official said. american.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also announced Thursday that the United States plans to provide Ukraine with $675 million in new security aid, two weeks after Washington pledged $3 billion in security aid to Kiev.
The add-on package will include more Howitzer heavy artillery guns; high mobility missile systems or HIMARS; high-velocity missiles designed not to be intercepted by radars, grenade launchers; armored medical vehicles; devices that enable night vision and others.
This aid would bring the total military aid provided by the Biden administration to Ukraine to about $15.2 billion.
Austin said the war in Ukraine "is at another pivotal moment" as Ukrainian forces launch a counter-offensive in the south of the country. "We are currently seeing the success of our joint efforts on the battlefield," he added.