This Monday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced additional military aid for Ukraine including missiles and anti-personnel mines, valued at $725 million (more than 690 million euros).
A significant boost. Washington announced this Monday, December 2, to provide additional military aid for Ukraine, valued at $725 million (the equivalent of more than 690 million euros). According to a press release from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, this assistance includes missiles and anti-personnel mines.
Less than two months before Donald Trump's inauguration, Joe Biden's administration said it wanted to “ensure that Ukraine has the capabilities it needs to defend itself against Russian aggression.” Thus, “the United States is providing a significant new batch of weapons and equipment. (…) This additional aid is estimated at $725 million,” according to a press release from the American Secretary of State.
Most recently, Washington announced a first delivery of antipersonnel mines to Ukraine, a decision criticized by human rights organizations. Indeed, antipersonnel mines are explosive devices that continue to kill and mutilate people long after conflicts between two countries have ended.
A total sum of 6 billion dollars to spend
Lloyd Austin, US Defense Secretary, said the move was necessitated by the fact that Russian forces were conducting their operations with dismounted infantry units, rather than vehicles. The Ukrainians “need things that can help slow down this effort on the part of the Russians,” he told the press last month.
For his part, outgoing US President Joe Biden is seeking to accelerate the delivery of aid to Ukraine. Jake Sullivan, National Security Advisor to the White House, had mentioned the total sum of 6 billion dollars (or nearly 5.8 billion euros) to be spent before the end of January and had warned against the risks of a cessation of support from the United States after the inauguration of Donald Trump on January 20.
“By the end of the (outgoing) administration, they are going to try to ship everything that is available,” such as armored vehicles and small arms ammunition, “that Ukraine needs and that the states “The United States has large quantities,” Mark Cancian, of the Center for International and Strategic Studies (CSIS) in Washington, recently told AFP.
Donald Trump's statements about Ukraine have sparked fears in kyiv and Europe about the future of US aid under his administration. However, on Sunday December 1, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared that his country needed security guarantees from NATO and more weapons to defend itself before any discussion with Russia.
