WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday and announced a new round of military aid for Kyiv, the White House said.
The call between the two leaders came ahead of Ukraine鈥檚 independence day, and on the same day that Washington announced sweeping sanctions against hundreds of individuals and companies tied to Russia鈥檚 invasion of the country.
鈥淚 am proud we will announce a new package of military aid for Ukraine today,鈥� Biden said in a statement, without specifying the dollar value of the assistance.
鈥淭he package includes air defense missiles to protect Ukraine鈥檚 critical infrastructure; counter-drone equipment and anti-armor missiles to defend against Russia鈥檚 evolving tactics on the battlefield; and ammunition for frontline soldiers and the mobile rocket systems that protect them,鈥� he said.
鈥淩ussia will not prevail in this conflict. The independent people of Ukraine will prevail 鈥� and the United States, our allies, and our partners, will continue to stand with them every step of the way,鈥� Biden added.
The US has been a key military backer of Ukraine, committing more than $55 billion in weapons, ammunition and other security aid since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
The latest aid announcement comes as Ukrainian troops press an attack into Russia鈥檚 western Kursk region 鈥� an offensive that is the most serious attack by a foreign army on Russian territory since World War II.
Earlier on Friday, the US Treasury, State and Commerce departments announced new sanctions that build on a raft of existing measures enacted against Russia over the invasion.
The sanctions target nearly 400 individuals and entities both inside and outside of Russia 鈥渨hose products and services enable Russia to sustain its war effort and evade sanctions,鈥� the US Treasury Department announced in a statement.
Among those sanctioned were 60 Russia-based defense and technology firms 鈥渃ritical for the sustainment and development of Russia鈥檚 defense industry,鈥� it added.
The State Department said in a separate statement that it was responsible for 190 of the sanctions, and that Treasury was responsible for close to 200 others.
It added that its designations 鈥渁im to disrupt sanctions evasion and target entities in multiple third countries,鈥� including China, along with businesses supporting the development of Russian energy projects.
Alongside the sanctions unveiled Friday, the Commerce Department announced it was taking 鈥渁ggressive action鈥� to further restrict the supply of items made in the United States, or labeled as such, to both Russia and Belarus, due to 鈥渢he Kremlin鈥檚 illegal war on Ukraine.鈥�
鈥淭oday鈥檚 actions will further constrain Russia鈥檚 ability to arm its military by targeting illicit procurement networks designed to circumvent global export controls,鈥� the department said in a statement.