WASHINGTON — The White Home introduced on Monday that america would ship one other $550 million in arms to Ukraine to assist it fend off Russian invaders, rising the entire American funding in conflict combating there to greater than $8 billion for the reason that invasion started in February.
President Biden licensed the newest package deal as the primary cargo ship of meals lastly left the Ukrainian port metropolis of Odesa after months of Russian blockade, in accordance with an settlement with Moscow. The White Home referred to as on the Kremlin to proceed abiding by the pact to be able to ease a rising meals disaster all over the world.
“Russia has, after all, weaponized meals,” mentioned John F. Kirby, a spokesman for the Nationwide Safety Council. “We urge Russia to fulfill its commitments underneath this new association.”
Mr. Kirby mentioned that Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken; Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Workers; and Jake Sullivan, the nationwide safety adviser, had knowledgeable their Ukrainian counterparts in regards to the new weapons shipments on Monday. Mr. Blinken mentioned in an announcement that he was authorizing a drawdown of arms and tools from Division of Protection inventories for Ukraine’s self-defense.