Fresh reports reaching the desk of Africa Today News, New York has revealed that the United States Congress has finally made the approval of about $12.3 billion in aid on Friday to help Ukraine battle down some of its invasion by Russia.
The report has also been revealed that the package will also include a $3 billion for arms, supplies and salaries for Ukraine’s military and it also authorises the United States President Joe Biden to direct the Pentagon to transfer $3.7 billion in weapons and other hardware to Ukraine.
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The so-called “continuing resolution” — passed by 230 votes to 201, with 10 Republicans joining the Democrats — also provides $4.5 billion for Kyiv to keep the country’s finances stable and keep the government running.
The allocation will also be taking the United States contribution to the war effort to $65 billion. It had also been approved just hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin annexed four Moscow-occupied Ukrainian regions, in defiance of warnings from the West.
“This new grant assistance is a further demonstration of US confidence in Ukraine and will support critical government operations and provide relief to Ukrainian people suffering under Russia’s brutal war,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement.
“Critically, this funding will also help bolster Ukraine’s valiant resistance to Putin’s illegal war of aggression. We call on fellow donors to not only speed up their existing disbursements to Ukraine but also to increase their scale of assistance.”
Government shutdowns threaten the finances of hundreds of thousands of workers who risk being sent home without pay as parks, museums and other federal properties close.
In another report, the President of France Emmanuel Macron yesterday informed the United Nations that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was a move back to an age of what he described as ‘imperialism’.
‘What we have witnessed since February 24 is a return to the age of imperialism and colonies. France refuses this and will work persistently for peace,’ he informed the UN General Assembly.
‘Who is a hegemon now if not Russia?’ he asked.
Macron addressed the General Assembly hours after Russian allies said they would call referendums on annexation in occupied parts of Ukraine, a move denounced by Western powers.