Biden announces hundreds of millions more in Ukraine aid at meeting with Zelensky

Paris, France - US President Joe Biden on Friday pledged his support for Ukraine and announced another $225 million in security aid to Kyiv as he met his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, for talks in Paris.

US President Joe Biden (r.) announced a new $225-million security aid package for Ukraine during a meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky in Paris.
US President Joe Biden (r.) announced a new $225-million security aid package for Ukraine during a meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky in Paris.  © REUTERS

"The United States will stand with you," Biden told Zelensky after both attended hugely symbolic D-Day commemorations in northern France on Thursday. Biden also expressed regret for the delay in getting new aid through Congress.

"You haven't bowed down. You haven't yielded at all. You continue to fight in a way that is just remarkable, just remarkable," Biden told Zelensky.

The new package includes air defense interceptors, artillery ammunition and other "critical capabilities", the White House said in a statement.

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"The president emphasized that US support for Ukraine is unwavering," the statement said, adding that the two leaders agreed to meet again at the coming G7 summit in Italy.

In a separate statement, the US Department of Defense said the security package would provide Ukraine with weapons to "meet its most urgent battlefield needs" and include Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, ammunition for HIMARS systems, as well as 155 and 105 millimeter artillery rounds.

Zelensky was also set to hold talks with French President Emmanuel Macron later Friday.

Macron said Thursday that Paris would transfer Mirage 2000 fighter jets to Ukraine and train Ukrainian pilots as part of a new military cooperation.

Cover photo: REUTERS

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