Ukrainian president thanks US for latest $250M military aid package

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday thanked his US counterpart Joe Biden, Congress, and the American people for the latest $250 million military aid package for his country, which Washington announced a day earlier.

“Additional air defense missiles and components, anti-tank weapons, ammunition, mine clearing, and other equipment will cover Ukraine’s most pressing needs,” Zelenskyy said in a statement posted on X.

On Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the $250 million package includes air defense munitions, other air defense system components, additional ammunition for high mobility artillery rocket systems, 155mm and 105mm artillery ammunition, anti-armor munitions, and over 15 million rounds of small arms ammunition.

Expressing that the US leadership in providing military aid to Ukraine is “critical to countering terror and aggression not only in Ukraine but around the world,” Zelenskyy said Washington provided Kyiv with 34 military aid packages worth over $24 billion in 2023.

The Ukrainian president added that these packages include Patriot air defense systems, Abrams tanks, armored vehicles, ATACMS tactical missile systems, missiles, artillery rounds, as well as mine-clearing and other critical equipment.

He also noted that a “historic decision” was made to provide Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets and that Ukraine will “always be grateful for all of this support.”

“To defend freedom and security not only in Ukraine and Europe but also in the United States, we must continue to respond to ongoing Russian aggression in the most forceful and resolute manner possible,” Zelenskyy said.