WASHINGTON, March 13. /TASS/. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken ordered additional providing military assistance to Ukraine in the amount of up to $200 million, in accordance with a memorandum from President Joe Biden,
“This package will include further defensive assistance to help Ukraine meet the armored, airborne, and other threats it is facing,” Blinken said in a statement released by the US Department of State.
According to him, “this drawdown will bring the total security assistance provided by the United States to Ukraine to more than $1.2 billion since the beginning of the Administration.”
“America and its Allies support their efforts (of Ukraine – TASS) to defend their country and protect their fellow citizens, and urge Russia to recognize that force will never defeat Ukraine’s spirit. We are committed to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and will continue to provide Ukraine the support it needs,” Blinken said.
In late February, the US authorities allocated up to $350 million in immediate military assistance to Ukraine. In early March, NBC reported that, as part of this package, the United States delivered several hundred Stinger man-portable air defense systems, as well as Javelin anti-tank missile systems and ammunition to Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on February 24 that in response to a request by the heads of the Donbass republics he had made a decision to carry out a special military operation in Ukraine, stressing that Moscow had no plans of occupying Ukrainian territories. Western countries responded to the actions of the Russian authorities by slapping sanctions against physical and legal entities.