The United States intends to allocate more than $322 million in military assistance to Ukraine, the US State Department has announced following a visit to Ukraine by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
“Secretary Blinken told President Zelensky that the United States intends to provide more than $713 million in foreign military financing (FMF) to Ukraine and 15 other allies and partner nations in Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans. This includes $650 in funding million USD, provided in accordance with the Law on additional appropriations for Ukraine of 2022,” the statement on the website of the US State Department said on Monday.
It is noted that more than $22 million in this commitment is intended for Ukraine and will provide the capacity support that the country needs as Russian forces focus their attention on the Donbas. The State Department indicated that this assistance will also help the Armed Forces of Ukraine switch to more advanced weapons and air defense systems. In addition, the funding will also help NATO allies replenish the capabilities they have transferred to Ukraine from their own stockpiles.
“Additionally, Secretary Blinken told President Zelensky that the agency notified Congress on April 24 of a sale of up to $65 million worth of non-standard munitions to Ukraine,” the US State Department said.
At the same time, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin informed the Ukrainian government that the US Department of Defense will expand military training for Ukrainian military personnel in the region on certain weapon systems.
“He highlighted US efforts to speed up the delivery of these weapons, which are now arriving within days of the announcement. And he stressed that, along with our allies and partners, the United States will continue to coordinate the delivery of additional heavy weapons, ammunition and spare parts from other countries.” , – noted in the message of the State Department.
Austin also presented Ukrainian leaders with the agenda for the Defense Consultative Meeting to be held this week in Germany. The consultative meeting, convened by the United States, will review the operational picture on the ground and review Ukraine’s short-term defense needs, as well as provide participants with an opportunity to explore ways in which Ukraine’s long-term national security interests can be best served.
“Saw the courage and resilience of the Ukrainian people during my visit to Kyiv with Secretary of Defense Austin. During our meeting with President Zelensky, we reaffirmed our unwavering support for Ukraine as it resists Russian aggression,” Blinken tweeted on Monday.
Since the start of Russia’s new invasion of Ukraine on February 24, the US has provided approximately $7 billion in security assistance and has provided more than $4.3 billion since the Biden administration came to power.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said that in a telephone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, he discussed in detail the threat to the global food market due to the actions of the Russian Federation, which blocked the Ukrainian Black Sea ports.
“Had an important conversation with Turkish President Erdogan. About the situation in Mariupol and the need to evacuate civilians and the wounded, about the need for an immediate exchange of blocked Ukrainian military. We discussed the negotiation process with Russia, defense issues. We touched in detail on the threat to the world food market, provoked by Russia, which blocked our Black Sea ports,” Zelensky said in a video message on Monday morning.
He stressed that the rise in food prices has already reached a critical level in many countries, and this is just the beginning.
“If Russia does not seek peace, the issue of food security in many countries will turn into a matter of the physical survival of millions of people, and hence the stability of state systems. An increasing number of political leaders in the world are aware of this threat. Therefore, we expect more pressure on Russia,” he said. head of state.
Due to the shelling of the railway infrastructure on Monday morning, 19 passenger trains were delayed – 18 long-distance trains and one Intercity +, the head of JSC Ukrzaliznytsia (UZ) Alexander Kamyshin reports on his Telegram channel.
Intercity+ is already on its way, most of the long-distance trains have already left,” he said.
In addition, as Ukrzaliznytsia JSC reported on its Telegram channel, the following commuter trains are also delayed: No. 6250 Berdychiv-Kazatin (+1:30); No. 6252 Shepetovka-Kazatin (+1:30); No. 6301 Kazatin-Zhmerinka (+ 1:23); №6304 Zhmerinka-Kazatin (+30 min); No. 6343 Zhmerinka-Grechany (+ 1:25); №6342 Grechany-Zhmerynka (+10 min); No. 804/803 Rivne-Lviv (+ 1 hour); No. 816/815 Lviv – Chernivtsi (+1:35); No. 6041 Ternopil-Lviv (+42 min); No. 6042 Lviv-Ternopil (+1:22); No. 6353 Zdolbunov-Kovel (+1:17); No. 6092 Lvov-Zdolbunov (has not departed yet); No. 6093 Zdolbunov-Lviv (hadn’t left yet, more than an hour late); No. 6187 Lviv-Mukacheve (delayed at the Sknilov station +20 min).
Official rates of banking metals from national bank as of April 25
One troy ounce=31.10 grams
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said on Monday that the US embassy in Kyiv could resume work in the next “couple of weeks.”
“As for the embassy, next week our diplomats will return to Ukraine, then we will begin the process of considering the opening of the embassy itself in Kyiv,” Blinken told reporters in Poland after a visit to Ukraine.
“I think it will happen within a couple of weeks,” he added, broadcasting the briefing was led by NBC News.
The US Secretary of State pointed out that Washington is acting “carefully” on this issue, and ensuring the safety of American diplomatic personnel remains a priority.
Ukraine expects Pope’s visit, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said.
“I really wanted him to come from the very beginning, to support our people in the east of the country. I wanted him to try to unblock the humanitarian corridors to Mariupol,” said Zelensky.
According to him, the Ukrainian side addressed the Holy See with such a request.
“It is too early to tell, but we are waiting for him. We are waiting because he has a mission – a mission from God. He is trusted by a large number of people, I think this is important,” said the President at a press conference in Kyiv Saturday.
