Zelenskyy urged US Congress to consider a no-fly zone
Washington DC: President Joe Biden on Wednesday announced an additional $800 million in military aid to Ukraine, bringing the total amount of funding allocated to the country this week to $1 billion.
Biden’s announcement came on the heels of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s speech to Congress, in which Zelenskyy pleaded with the U.S. and its NATO allies to enforce a no-fly zone over Ukraine or send jets to aid in its fight against Russia. Biden made no mention of either Zelenskyy request and emphasized the aid would empower Ukrainians to fight the Russians themselves.
The president did pledge to arm the Ukrainian military with drones; a step he said: “demonstrates our commitment to sending the most cutting-edge systems to Ukraine for its defense.”
“This could be a long and difficult battle, but the American people will be steadfast in our support of the people of Ukraine in the face of Putin’s immoral, unethical attacks on civilian populations,” Biden said. “We are united in the abhorrence of depraved onslaught, and we are going to continue to have their backs as they fight for their freedom, their democracy, and their very survival.”
The $800 million in new funding announced by Biden comes from the $13.6 billion aid package signed into law Tuesday. The new assistance package comes in the form of direct transfers of equipment from the Department of Defense to Ukraine. It includes a host of weapons for civilian and military use: 800 anti-aircraft missiles; 9,000 anti-armor systems; 7,000 small arms, like machine guns, shotguns, and grenade launchers; 20 million rounds of ammunition; body armor; and drones.
