The US will provide Ukraine with an additional $325 million in military aid, President Joe Biden announced Thursday during a White House meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, NBC News reports.
The package includes air defense capabilities, cluster munitions, anti-tank weapons and other equipment.
"Today I approved the next tranche of US security assistance to Ukraine including more artillery, more ammunition, more anti-tank weapons and next week, the first US Abrams tanks will be delivered to Ukraine," Biden said. "We also focused on strengthening Ukraine’s air defense capabilities to protect the critical infrastructure that provides heat and light during the coldest and darkest days of the year."
The announcement was made during Zelenskyy's visit to Washington, D.C., where he appealed to lawmakers and administration officials for more assistance.
Zelenskyy thanked Biden for the new aid, saying Americans are “together with us, with Ukrainians, with ordinary people, all of us.”
“Thank you so much,” he added.
This package is separate from the additional $24 billion that the president wants Congress to approve for Ukraine, noted NBC News.
Before the meeting began in the Oval Office, Biden and Zelenskyy gave brief remarks to reporters. Biden said that no nation will be secure if the US does not help Ukraine in defending its territory against Russia.
Zelenskyy thanked Biden and Congress for frank and constructive dialogues during their meetings on Thursday.
Zelenskyy's trip to Washington also included a meeting at the Pentagon with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and outgoing Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley.
The Ukrainian President addressed the UN General Assembly earlier this week, where he criticized the attempts to lead to peace in Ukraine in exchange for territorial concessions.
Zelenskyy had last traveled to the United States in December, where he met Biden face-to-face in the White House and also gave a special address to Congress.