US announces nearly 1 billion USD in military aid to Ukraine; France-US-Ukraine hold talks in Paris
(VOVWORLD) - The US Department of Defense announced Saturday a new military aid package for Ukraine worth 988 million USD as Washington seeks to bolster Ukraine's defenses ahead of the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump.
 A batch of US-donated Javelins missiles are delivered to an airport in Kiev, Ukraine on February 11, 2022. Photo: AFP/VNA |
According to the Pentagon, the package includes drones, ammunition for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), and equipment and spare parts for artillery systems, tanks, and armored vehicles. The aid will be provided through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), which allows the purchase of military equipment rather than drawing from existing US stockpiles. Consequently, the weapons and equipment will not reach Ukraine immediately.
Meanwhile, in Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron hosted a trilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President-elect Donald Trump to discuss the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
President Zelensky described the discussions as “good and productive” in a social media post. He said both President Macron and President-elect Trump wanted to see the conflict between Ukraine and Russia resolved “as soon as possible” and “in a fair way.”
The three leaders agreed to maintain communication and work collaboratively toward ending the conflict.