WASHINGTON, March 13 (Reuters) – The United States announced on Saturday that it would send light, anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons worth $200 million (183 million euros) to Ukraine, with Ukrainian officials saying requested access to additional defense equipment to deal with bombardment by Russian forces.
In a memorandum to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, US President Joe Biden directed that up to $200 million allocated through the Foreign Assistance Act be earmarked for the defense of the Ukraine.
Antony Blinken declared that he had authorized a fourth delivery of weapons from American defense stocks, in accordance with the directive of the American president, “to help Ukraine deal with the armour, air and other threats with which it is confronted”.
“The United States and our allies and partners stand in solidarity with the people and government of Ukraine in the face of Kremlin aggression,” he said in a statement. “The international community is united and determined to hold (Russian President Vladimir) Putin accountable.”
These funds “will make it possible to provide immediate military assistance to Ukraine, in particular with anti-armour and anti-aircraft systems, as well as light weapons”, indicated an American official who preferred to remain anonymous.
The United States has sent weapons to Ukraine from its defense stocks several times, in autumn 2021, December and February. (Report Andrea Shalal and Steve Holland; French version Camille Raynaud)