Biden to announce $800 million military aid package for Ukraine -official

U.S. President Joe Biden is flanked by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley as he meets with military leaders in the Cabinet Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., April 20, 2022. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

WASHINGTON, April 21 (Reuters) – President Joe Biden will announce an additional $800 million security assistance package for Ukraine on Thursday when he delivers an update on U.S. efforts related to the Russian invasion, a U.S. official said.

Biden is scheduled to address Americans from the White House Roosevelt Room at 9:45 a.m. (1345 GMT). The U.S. official said he will share an update on American efforts to support the people of Ukraine.

The new arms package will be roughly the same size as an $800 million one announced last week but details were still being worked out, another U.S. official told Reuters earlier. read more

U.S. officials have said Ukraine needs heavy artillery, long-range rocket systems and anti-ship missiles.

On Wednesday, Biden convened U.S. military leaders in an annual White House gathering that took on special significance as the war enters a risky new phase. read more

Opening the meeting, Biden touted the toughness of the Ukrainian military and said that NATO’s unity had shocked Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russia has said it has entered a new stage of its operation and is methodically seeking to “liberate” the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. Western allies anticipate Russia’s campaign could last many months, grind to a stalemate and test the battlefield capabilities of Ukrainian fighters.

Russia says it launched what it calls a “special military operation” on Feb. 24 to demilitarize and “denazify” Ukraine. Kyiv and its Western allies reject that as a false pretext.

U.S. forces are not fighting in Ukraine but are indirectly engaged, arming, training and financing its forces.

The U.S. aid announced last week included artillery systems, artillery rounds, armored personnel carriers and unmanned coastal defense boats, broadening the scope of materiel sent to Kyiv to include new types of heavy equipment. read more

If this week’s aid package is as large as expected, it would bring total U.S. military aid to Ukraine since Russia invaded in to well over $3 billion.

After Biden’s announcement, he is to fly to the Pacific Northwest on a two-day trip to promote his domestic agenda.

Reporting by Nandita Bose, Steve Holland, Patricia Zengerle and Idrees Ali
Editing by Robert Birsel and Chizu Nomiyama

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