Coinciding with the first anniversary of the outbreak of the Russian military operation in Ukrainian territory, the US State Department’s regional spokeswoman, Hala Gharit, said in exclusive statements to “Sky News Arabia” that US support for Ukraine “continues and will not stop.”
Gharit added that her country “will continue to provide all the necessary assistance at all levels, whatever it takes,” explaining that “the form of this support, of course, varies according to each stage of the fighting on the ground and the challenges facing Ukraine.”
He continued: “For example, at the beginning of the war we were providing defensive military support to the Ukrainians, and today the form of this support is different because the stage the battles reached on the ground was different, so we provided tanks, missiles, etc., and this support also depends on Ukraine’s needs.”
This is consistent with what US President Joe Biden said, during his visit to Kiev a few days ago, that Washington would support Ukraine in its battle against Russia “as far as it takes,” offering a new $500 million military aid package.
In the field of energy, Gharit said that before the onset of winter, when Russia intended to “use winter as a weapon against the Ukrainians to die from the cold,” the US administration and its partners supported the energy infrastructure in Ukraine to ensure that Ukrainians had access to energy and heating sources, and “therefore, the forms of support vary according to for each stage.
What did America give to Ukraine?
The United States is at the forefront of countries that announced direct financial and military assistance to Ukraine after the outbreak of the war, and within a year it included:
Security assistance:
- At the beginning of the war, Washington provided anti-tank and anti-aircraft systems such as 8,000 Javelin missiles and 1,600 Stinger systems to Ukraine.
- During the intensification of the battle in the Donbass region, the US administration sent 160 howitzer systems and 38 high-mobility artillery missiles, which helped the Ukrainian army launch counterattacks in Kharkiv and Kherson.
- Providing air defense systems and anti-drone capabilities, in addition to strengthening anti-armor capabilities, including 109 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and tanks.
- Sending more than a million rounds of artillery ammunition, more than 100,000 rounds of 125 mm tank ammunition, and 100,000 rounds of ammunition for light weapons, with helicopters, coastal defense ships without captains, and anti-drone systems and equipment.
Economic aid:
- According to a document released by the US State Department, Washington has provided $13 billion in grant funding to support Ukraine’s budget, and will soon begin disbursing more than $9.9 billion recently approved by Congress.
Humanitarian aid:
- The United States has provided nearly $1.9 billion to Ukrainians in need of assistance, including more than 13 million people who have fled their homes.
conflict resolution
Regarding the possibility of seeking a solution to this conflict during the current year, and responding to initiatives to end the fighting, the US State Department spokeswoman said, “The solution is in the hands of President Vladimir Putin.”
She added, “The Russian president is the one who started this war and he is the one who can end it. We support any peace initiative from any party as long as it guarantees Ukraine’s presence in the talks.”
And she continued: “Because no diplomatic solution can be presented without Ukraine’s participation in it. In addition, it is also Ukraine’s decision whether it is ready to enter into negotiations or a peace initiative now or not.”
As for the American position, Gharit said: “We will do everything in our power to have Ukraine in the best military position and in any negotiations it chooses.”
