Ukrainian, US officials discuss situation on frontline, winter support package

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Ukraine's presidential aide Andriy Yermak on Wednesday held a phone call with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan to discuss the situation on the frontline with Russia and well as the winter support package for the country.

"Yermak informed the interlocutor about the operational situation on the frontline, as well as about the possible actions of Russia, which it is plotting in order to continue terror against the civilian population of Ukraine,” a statement from the Ukrainian presidency read.

According to the statement, Yermak and Sullivan also discussed the provision of humanitarian support to Ukraine to ensure the country’s efforts to get through the winter period.

Yermak also thanked the US for its support of the Grain from Ukraine initiative, which was officially launched by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday.

“The Head of the President's Office emphasized that the implementation of this initiative will help countries in Africa and Asia, which are on the brink of starvation due to Russia's blocking of Ukrainian food export routes,” the statement further noted.

It added that Yermak thanked Sullivan, US President Joe Biden, the US Congress and Americans for “supporting Ukraine in the fight for freedom, justice and a safe future for all countries of the world.”

US announced on Tuesday that it will provide Ukraine with over $53 million to help the war-torn country through what promises to be a biting winter made worse by Russian attacks on critical energy infrastructure.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced, on the sidelines of a gathering of NATO foreign ministers in the Romanian capital Bucharest on Tuesday, that Washington will provide over $53 million to help the war-torn country acquire equipment to repair its energy grids damaged or destroyed by Russian attacks.

Since Russia began its war against Ukraine in February, Ukraine's energy infrastructure has been the target of Russian attacks, which increased dramatically after an explosion on Oct. 8 damaged Russia's key Kerch Bridge connecting the country with the Crimean peninsula, which Moscow illegally annexed in 2014.​​​​​​​