US to provide up to $250m in arms, equipment to Ukraine

28 December 2023 - 08:15 By Eric Beech
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A man walks next to a residential building damaged by a Russian drone strike in Odesa, Ukraine, on December 14 2023.
A man walks next to a residential building damaged by a Russian drone strike in Odesa, Ukraine, on December 14 2023.
Image: REUTERS/Serhii Smolientsev

The US will provide up to $250m (R4.6bn) in arms and equipment to Ukraine in the final package of aid this year to help Kyiv in its war with Russia, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday.

President Joe Biden has asked Congress to provide another $61bn (R1.1-trillion) in aid to Ukraine, but Republicans are refusing to approve the assistance without an agreement with Democrats to tighten security along the US-Mexico border.

The White House has warned that without the additional appropriation US aid will run out by the end of the year for Ukraine's fight to retake territory occupied by Russian forces since it invaded in February 2022.

Blinken said the latest aid package included air defence munitions, additional ammunition for high-mobility artillery rocket systems, artillery ammunition, anti-armour munitions and more than 15-million rounds of ammunition.

Congress has approved more than $110bn (R2-trillion) for Ukraine since Russia's invasion, but it has not approved any funds since Republicans took control of the House of Representatives from Democrats in January 2023.

Reuters


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