US President Joe Biden discreetly approved in late December an additional $200 million in security assistance to Ukraine, including military equipment, CNN reported citing four people familiar with the matter.
Several US officials learned about the White House’s decision through classified channels while Congress was notified about the matter earlier this month.
According to two congressional aides, the Biden administration wanted to keep this new security package low-key ahead of Monday’s security talks between the US and Russia that took place in Geneva.
Much of the security package, which will take some time to be delivered to Ukraine, included medical equipment, small arms, and ammunition as well as secure radios.
Though the $200 million in security aid to Ukraine might not be substantial enough for Kyiv to deter any kind of alleged Russian escalation, the country insisted on additional security assistance, beyond the defensive weaponry the US is already providing.
Ukraine’s defense minister told parliament at the beginning of December that Russia was preparing for a large-scale military operation by the end of January and pointed it had massed tens of thousands of troops near the border.
Troops’ massing has fueled potential invasion fears and accusations from the Western countries which Moscow adamantly refuses claiming the military buildup is a deterrent to NATO.
Russia also demanded legally enforceable assurances that the Western military alliance would not expand eastward nor will supply weapons to Ukraine or any of its neighbors, something to be discussed on Wednesday when the Russia -NATO meeting is scheduled in Brussels.
Meanwhile, Politico reported that House Republicans are poised to introduce legislation – a draft copy of which was leaked to the news hub – that would reimpose sanctions on Moscow and will enhance US defense financing to Ukraine if passed.
They introduced in mid-December the Senate’s version of the legislation named Guaranteeing Ukrainian Autonomy by Reinforcing its Defense (GUARD) Act.
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