(RightWing.org) – After months of political wrangling, the House and Senate approved a $60.84 billion supplemental aid package for Ukraine, and Joe Biden signed the measure into law on April 24. Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently made an unscheduled overseas trip to meet with Ukrainian officials and discuss America’s continued role in the country’s ongoing war with Russia. He also confirmed that the US would provide an additional $2 billion in foreign aid.
On May 15, Blinken and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba held a joint press conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kyiv. The secretary of state noted that he had visited Ukraine five times since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of the former Soviet nation in February 2022.
Blinken confirmed that money from the recently passed supplemental assistance package was “on its way.” Noting that some of the funding had already “been delivered,” he announced that the US would provide “an additional $2 billion in foreign military financing for the Ukrainian war effort.
Blinken explained that US officials had established a “first-of-its-kind” fund for defense enterprises. The new system system would involve three components.
- Providing necessary weapons as soon as possible
- Investing in Ukraine’s “defense industrial base”
- Using the funds to help Ukraine purchase equipment from the US and other allied countries
Blinken also discussed the United States’ ongoing commitment to “ensure Ukraine’s strategic success” in that conflict by providing the sources necessary for the Ukrainian armed forces to “deliver on the battlefield… and put itself in a position to deter and defend against future attacks.”
The secretary of state touched on Ukraine’s expanding capabilities to defend itself. For example, he discussed the country’s BRAVE 1 Facility, a defense technology cluster that brings together researchers, military experts, and developers to discover ways to enhance the country’s military capabilities.
Blinken also discussed some of Ukraine’s non-military efforts. He mentioned the development of “world-leading prosthetics” and also talked about the country’s ability to protect its agricultural industry to continue its role as a “leading” food exporter.
The secretary concluded his remarks by affirming America’s support for a future peace summit and said he anticipated an opportunity for Biden to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy soon.
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