SpaceWar.com - Your World At War
Biden talks with Zelensky, announces new military aid for Kyiv
Washington, Aug 23 (AFP) Aug 23, 2024
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's independence day, and on the same day that Washington announced sweeping sanctions against hundreds of individuals and companies tied to Russia's invasion of the country.

"I am proud we will announce a new package of military aid for Ukraine today," Biden said in a statement, without specifying the dollar value of the assistance.

"The package includes air defense missiles to protect Ukraine's critical infrastructure; counter-drone equipment and anti-armor missiles to defend against Russia's evolving tactics on the battlefield; and ammunition for frontline soldiers and the mobile rocket systems that protect them," he said.

"Russia will not prevail in this conflict. The independent people of Ukraine will prevail -- and the United States, our allies, and our partners, will continue to stand with them every step of the way," Biden added.

The United States 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's western Kursk region -- an offensive that is the most serious attack by a foreign army on Russian territory since World War II.


- New sanctions on Russia -


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 "whose products and services enable Russia to sustain its war effort and evade sanctions," the US Treasury Department announced in a statement.

Among those sanctioned were 60 Russia-based defense and technology firms "critical for the sustainment and development of Russia's defense industry," 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 "aim to disrupt sanctions evasion and target entities in multiple third countries," including China, along with businesses supporting the development of Russian energy projects.

Alongside the sanctions unveiled Friday, the Commerce Department announced it was taking "aggressive action" to further restrict the supply of items made in the United States, or labeled as such, to both Russia and Belarus, due to "the Kremlin's illegal war on Ukraine."

"Today's actions will further constrain Russia's ability to arm its military by targeting illicit procurement networks designed to circumvent global export controls," the department said in a statement.


ADVERTISEMENT




Space News from SpaceDaily.com
AI systems proposed to boost launch cadence reliability and traffic management
China debuts Long March 12A reusable rocket in Jiuquan test flight
Curiosity Blog, Sols 4750-4762: See You on the Other Side of the Sun

24/7 Energy News Coverage
Redesigned carbon framework boosts battery safety and power
Molecular catalyst switches between hydrogen and oxygen production
Project Pele microreactor reaches key milestone with first TRISO fuel delivery

Military Space News, Nuclear Weapons, Missile Defense
SDA expands Tracking Layer satellite awards and related missile defense contracts
Space Systems Command activates System Delta 80 for assured space access
Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions to provide SAR reconnaissance data to German military

24/7 News Coverage
OPERA satellite data sharpens US crop and water management
Alen Space begins SATMAR satellite validation over Bay of Algeciras
Deep Arctic gas hydrate mounds host ultra deep cold seep ecosystem



All rights reserved. Copyright Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.