US President Joe Biden announces $200 million in aid for Ukraine

US President Joe Biden has introduced $200 million in pre-approved aid for Ukraine following his assembly with the nation’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy throughout his go to to Washington on Tuesday (December 12, 2023).

Speaking to reporters, Biden mentioned: “I simply signed one other $200 million drawdown from the Department of Defense for Ukraine, and that will likely be coming rapidly.”

The newest tranche of help got here because the Ukrainian president visited the White House and Capitol Hill to make the case for extra US help as an aid package deal with billions in funds for the war-torn nation stalls amid partisan disagreements over immigration insurance policies, reported NBC News.

Biden mentioned: “Congress must go the supplemental funding for Ukraine earlier than they break for the vacation recess — earlier than they offer Putin the best Christmas reward they might presumably give him. And so — as a result of we’ve seen what occurs when dictators don’t pay the value for the injury and the loss of life and the destruction they trigger, and so they maintain going when no value is paid.”

“The threats to America, to Europe, and the world will solely maintain rising if we don’t act. And I intend that we act,” he mentioned.

He mentioned: “The American individuals, Democrats and Republicans alike, I believe, perceive this, and so they perceive the very actual struggle that’s occurring proper now.”

Zelenskyy mentioned Ukraine is steadily turning into much less depending on aid.

“And I need to focus on with the President how — learn how to strengthen it, particularly in enhancing our air protection and skill to destroy Russia’s logistics,” he mentioned.

“We additionally have to work sooner with the frozen Russian belongings — over $300 billion frozen belongings from terrorists — and we should always use it to guard towards Russian terror,” he mentioned.

Zelenskyy advised NBC News after the information convention that his conferences with lawmakers had been useful in that he received an opportunity to supply an in depth rationalization of progress in his nation’s conflict towards Russia.

“I believe we had an excellent assembly with the senators,” Zelenskyy mentioned, surrounded by safety guards in inexperienced uniforms as he left the Hall of the States constructing following an look on Fox News. “And we spoke with each events represented. I believe they didn’t know all the main points about what was occurring in the battlefield.”

“Yes, they recognised that we had actually good success on the Black Sea towards Russian ships, and it’s superb,” he continued.

Zelenskyy additionally described his assembly with Biden as a constructive one. Asked if he believed Ukraine would win the conflict, he mentioned: “Yes, in fact.”

The UN human rights workplace (OHCHR) has verified 10,065 civilians killed and an extra 18,679 injured since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine started in February 2022.

The precise figures, nonetheless, may very well be a lot increased.

Over 10 million have been compelled to flee their houses, together with over 6.3 million who’ve sought refuge exterior Ukraine.