US defence chief Austin visits Kyiv, announces more military aid

US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin announced $100 million in new military aid to Ukraine during an unannounced visit to Kyiv on Monday, pledging long-term American support amid growing concerns about the sustainability of vital US assistance, reported from Reuters.

Austin announced the aid package after a day of meetings with Ukrainian officials, with the latest tranche including arms such as anti-tank weapons, air-defence interceptors and an additional High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS).

Austin, accompanied by the top US general in Europe, was photographed smiling and shaking hands with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. It marked Austin's first visit to Kyiv since April 2022.

The United States has provided more than $44 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the start of war in Ukraine in February 2022.

The trip comes amid increasing division over aid for Ukraine in the US Congress, with a US presidential election coming in November 2024. Some American lawmakers are prioritizing aid to Israel even as US defence officials stress that Washington can support both allies simultaneously.

In a statement on Monday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken appealed for lawmakers to approve more aid.

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