WASHINGTON — U.S. President Joe Biden called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and vowed to provide an additional $1 billion in security assistance for the country as it seeks to stave off Russian forces in eastern battle zones.
“I informed President Zelenskyy that the United States is providing another $1 billion in security assistance for Ukraine, including additional artillery and coastal defense weapons, as well as ammunition for the artillery and advanced rocket systems that the Ukrainians need to support their defensive operations in the Donbas,” Biden said in a statement Wednesday.
The weapons package includes for the first time launchers for vehicle-mounted Harpoon anti-ship missiles, according to people familiar with the matter. Denmark has said it will supply the missiles. The U.S. package also includes $320 million for secure radios and related equipment, $55 million for thermal night-vision optics, and $160 million for training, according to a person familiar with the decision.
