Helping Ukraine
Biden announces new $375M military aid package for Ukraine
President Biden met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday and unveiled a new $375 million military aid package for Ukraine.
During the meeting, which took place at the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, Biden pledged a package of "more ammunition, artillery, armored vehicles to bolster Ukraine's battlefield abilities," according to a readout of the meeting provided by the White House. The G7 previously announced a new series of sanctions against Russia in an effort to slow their war efforts, and Biden committed to new American sanctions as well.
"The United States continues to help Ukraine respond, recover and rebuild," Biden said. "Together, with the entire G7, we have Ukraine's back. And I promise we're not going anywhere."
Zelenskyy thanked Biden, while also dismissing reports that Russia had taken control of the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. The Ukrainian president had acknowledged at the end of 2022 that the city was "destroyed," however, when asked at the meeting if Russia had indeed captured Bakhmut, Zelenskyy replied, "I think no, but you have to understand that there is nothing. They've destroyed everything."
"But, for today, Bakhmut is only in our hearts," Zelenskyy added. "There is nothing on this place, so — just ground and — and a lot of dead Russians. But they came to us."
Continued U.S. support for Ukraine has gotten some pushback, especially from a faction of Republicans who have decried the spending amount. However, the Biden administration has remained steadfast in its support. Following Biden's meeting, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a press release that the United States "will continue to stand with our Ukrainian partners as they defend themselves from Russia's war of aggression."
Biden also said last week that the U.S. would commit to a joint effort with Japan to train Ukrainian fighter pilots on F-16 aircraft.