The first shipment of a $200 million U.S. security assistance package aimed at boosting Ukrainian defense forces arrived in Kyiv, the U.S. Embassy announced Saturday.
The delivery touched down at Kyiv’s Boryspil International Airport amid heightened tensions stemming from Russia’s troop buildup along its border with Ukraine.
“The donation, which includes close to 200,000 pounds of lethal security assistance, including ammunition for the front line defenders of Ukraine, demonstrates the United States’ strong commitment to Ukraine’s sovereign right to self-defense,” the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv said in a statement.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Kyiv earlier this week.
The U.S. has committed more than $650 million in security assistance to Kyiv over the past year. The latest aid package to Ukraine was approved in December.
“The United States will continue to provide such assistance to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine, supporting them in relentlessly protecting Ukraine‘s sovereignty and territorial integrity from Russian aggression.,” the embassy said.