US pledges US$1.7 billion in new military aid for Ukraine
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Ukraine says it’s ready to resume ‘good faith’ negotiations with Russia
The aid includes items that are “critical to strengthening Ukrainian defenders, as well as funding to sustain previously committed equipment from the United States,” he said.
Zelensky on Monday visited special forces in the border region of Kharkiv, where Moscow’s forces launched a surprise ground offensive in May but failed to make any breakthroughs.
There, he “witnessed first-hand how such ongoing assistance allows us to save lives and protect people from Russian attacks”, the Ukrainian leader said.
But before late April, Washington had announced only limited new aid for Ukraine this year – a US$300 million package made possible by using money that the Pentagon had saved on other purchases.
Congress had not approved large-scale funding for Kyiv for nearly a year and a half but finally took action in April after months of acrimonious debate, passing legislation authorising US$95 billion in aid, including US$61 billion for Ukraine.
Washington has since provided multiple new packages, but Zelensky has said Russia was able to take the initiative on the battlefield while his country waited for the approval of new aid.
The Ukrainian military said on Monday that it had repelled six Russian attacks on the Kharkiv front line over the past day, including at Vovchansk, a small town that Moscow’s forces have been trying to capture since May.
Now grinding through a third year of fighting, neither Kyiv nor Moscow have managed to swing the conflict decisively in their favour, even though Moscow’s forces have gained ground in recent months.