US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Friday to ‘underscore’ the US support while announcing a new USD 400 million military assistance package amid the Russian invasion.
“National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak, Minister of Defense Reznikov, and others in Kyiv today to underscore the United States’ steadfast support to Ukraine and its people as they defend their sovereignty and territorial integrity,” National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a press release.
The spokesperson further said that Sullivan had announced an additional USD 400 million security assistance package, which includes refurbished T-72 tanks, unmanned aerial vehicles, and the refurbishment of 250 HAWK surface-to-air missiles for eventual transfer to Ukraine, the press statement reads.
US Security Advisor also affirmed that they will continue economic and humanitarian assistance, as well as ongoing efforts with partners to hold Russia accountable for its aggression.
Earlier, the US launched a demining training project in Ukraine by awarding USD 47.6 million to Tetra Tech, Inc. of California, amid the Russia- Ukraine war, the State Department said.
“On September 30, the Department awarded $47.6 million to Tetra Tech, Inc. of Pasadena, California to provide urgent humanitarian demining assistance to Ukraine in the face of Russia’s brutal war of aggression,” as per the statement released by the US Department of State.
Since 1993, the United States has invested over USD 4.7 billion for the safe clearance of landmines and explosive weapons of war as well as the securing and safe disposal of excess small arms and light weapons and munitions in more than 100 countries and territories.
According to the statement, the United States is the world’s largest financial supporter of conventional weapons destruction.
In total, the United States has now committed more than USD 18.9 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden Administration. Since 2014, the United States has committed more than USD 21 billion in security assistance to Ukraine and more than USD 18.2 billion since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on February 24.
“Through both PDA and USAI, DoD continues to work with Ukraine to meet both its immediate and longer-term security assistance needs,” the Department of Defense said.
With Russia’s unrelenting and brutal air attacks on Ukrainian civilian critical infrastructure, additional air defense capabilities are critical, it added. (ANI)
