President Joe Biden announced Thursday an additional $800 million package of military aid for Ukraine as the country faces a renewed onslaught from Russia to the east.
The package is similar in size to one announced last week, but will contain more heavy artillery and ammunition to aid Ukrainian forces as Russia attempts a large-scale takeover of the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine.
The announcement builds on the $2.6 billion in military assistance that the U.S. has already provided Ukraine. Biden praised the speed by which Ukrainian forces are receiving the aid, saying that the U.S. is "not sitting" on the funding Congress has authorized.
"In the past two months, we've moved weapons and equipment to Ukraine at record speed," Biden said, adding: "We're sending it directly to the frontlines of freedom to the fearless and skilled Ukrainian fighters who are standing in the breach."
According to the Pentagon, the aid package will include:
- 72 155mm Howitzers and 144,000 artillery rounds
- 72 Tactical Vehicles to tow 155mm Howitzers
- Over 121 Phoenix Ghost Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems
- Field equipment and spare parts
“To modernize Teddy Roosevelt’s famous advice, ‘Sometimes we will speak softly and carry a large javelin,'" Biden said. "Because we’re sending a lot of those in as well.”
Biden touted the fact that the "United States alone has provided 10 anti-armor systems for every one Russian tank that's in Ukraine, a 10-to-1 ratio," in addition to other aid the U.S. has already sent, including "thousands of anti-armor and anti-missile [systems], helicopters, drones, grenade launchers, machine guns, rifles, radar systems" and "150 million rounds of ammunition."
But, the president warned, with this latest announcement, he has "almost exhausted" the spending that Congress authorized in a bipartisan bill last month "in order to sustain Ukraine for the duration of this fight" and said that he would be sending a new request to legislators for further aid.
"Next week I'm going to have to be sending to Congress a supplemental budget request to keep weapons and ammunition flowing without interruption to the brave Ukrainian fighters, to continue to deliver economic assistance to the Ukrainian people," Biden said. "My hope is – my expectation is – Congress would move and act quickly."
After his speech, Biden told reporters that the amount he will ask for in the new supplemental funding request to Congress is "being decided now."
"I'm asking the Defense Department to put together what they think we need," Biden said.
The president also announced Thursday $500 million in financial aid for Ukraine to help pay salaries, sustain pensions and fund other government programs, and a new program to allow Americans and organizations to aid Ukrainian refugees directly.
"This program will be fast, it will be streamlined, and will ensure the United States honors its commitment to the people of Ukraine and need not go through our southern border," he said.
He also announced a ban on Russian ships from docking at U.S. ports, echoing an action taken by other allied partners.
"That means no ship that sails under the Russian flag, or that is owned or operated by Russian interests will be allowed to dock in a United States port or access our shores. None. None," he said. "This is yet another critical step we're taking in concert with our partners in the European Union, United Kingdom, Canada to deny Russia the benefits of international economic system that they've so enjoyed in the past."
Biden lauded the bravery and resolve of the Ukrainian people fighting to beat back Russia's invasion and offered praise for Congress, international partners and the American people for their unity in supporting Ukraine.
"You gotta admit, you must be amazed at the courage of this country," Biden said of the Ukrainian people. "The result that they're showing, not just the military, but the average citizen – men and women, young men, young women as well."
"The sustained and coordinated support by the international community, led and facilitated by the United States, is a significant reason why Ukraine is able to stop Russia from taking over the country," he continued. "That's why every American taxpayer, every member of our armed forces, can be proud of the fact that our country's generosity and the skill and service of our military helped arm and repel Russia's aggression in Ukraine, to beat back Putin's savagery that tried to seize Ukraine's capital and wipe out Ukraine's government."
Biden called the battle for Kyiv a "historic victory" for the Ukrainian people and said that the U.S. must accelerate aid to Ukraine to help them prepare for the battle ahead in the Donbas region. "That's going to be more limited in terms of geography, but not in terms of brutality, not in terms of brutality."
"Our unity at home, our unity with our allies and partners and our unity with Ukrainian people are sending an unmistakable message to Putin: He will never succeed in dominating and occupying all of Ukraine, that will not happen," Biden pledged.
"We don't know how long [the war] is going to last, but as we approach the two month mark, here's what we do know: Putin has failed to achieve his grand ambitions on the battlefield," Biden said. "After weeks of shelling Kyiv, Kyiv still stands. President [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy and his democratically elected government still remain power and Ukrainian Armed Forces, joined by many brave Ukrainian civilians, have thwarted Russia's conquest in their country. They've been bolstered from day one by unstinting supply of weapons, ammunition, armor, intelligence from the nations of the free world, led by us the United States."
Biden said that Putin failed in his attempt to divide and crack the NATO alliance and that of the European Union and other allies.
"We will not lesssen our resolve," Biden added. "We're going to continue to stand with the brave and proud people of Ukraine. We will never fail in our determination to defend freedom and oppose tyranny. It's as simple as that."