US President Joe Biden announced a $425 million arms package for Kiev in a call with President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday ahead of a farewell trip to Berlin to discuss Ukraine, the White House said.
The package includes air defense and armored vehicles, a readout of the call said, adding that President Biden had briefed Mr. Zelensky “on his efforts to increase security assistance to Ukraine during his remaining term in office.”
It said Mr Biden would also hold a virtual meeting of Ukraine’s allies in November, as he tries to drum up international support for Kiev ahead of Donald Trump’s possible return to the White House in January 2025.
However, there was no mention of any decision about allowing Ukraine to fire Western-made long-range missiles at Russia, a move that Biden has so far been reluctant to greenlight.
The $425 million US package “includes additional air defense capabilities, air-to-ground weapons, armored vehicles and other weapons critical to meeting Ukraine’s immediate needs,” the White House said.
It said the United States would provide hundreds of air defense missiles, artillery, hundreds of armored personnel carriers and thousands of additional armored vehicles in the coming months.
Mr Zelensky, meanwhile, “updated President Biden on his plan to prevail on Russia, and both leaders tasked their teams to engage in further consultation on next steps.”
Mr Zelensky said on Twitter that he had spoken to Biden and thanked him for the package, which included “long-range weapons”.
“I am grateful to President Biden, both parties of Congress, and the American people for the $425 million defense package announced today,” said Ukraine’s president, who is scheduled to meet EU leaders on Thursday.
Despite continued opposition from Republicans, the United States has provided approximately $175 billion in military and economic aid to Ukraine during the war.
The call came on the eve of Mr Biden’s whirlwind visit to Germany, where Ukraine will top the agenda.
Media reports said talks with Mr Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz could include French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
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