US President Joe Biden offered more weapons and money to Ukraine during a surprise visit to the country on Monday.
“I will announce another delivery of critical equipment, including artillery ammunition, anti-armor systems, and air surveillance radars to help protect the Ukrainian people from aerial bombardments,” Biden said in Kyiv.
Biden also promised a new military aid package worth US$500 million for Kyiv. The White House said the details of the aid package will be announced on Tuesday. News agencies reported that the US will provide Ukraine with more ammunition for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS).
China Hits Out at US
Meanwhile, China called the US bluff, saying it is the US that is fueling the war between Russia and Ukraine.
“It is the United States and not China that is endlessly shipping weapons to the battlefield,” China’s foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said, according to Agence France-Presse.
“We urge the United States to earnestly reflect on its own actions, and do more to alleviate the situation, promote peace and dialogue, and stop shifting blame and spreading false information,” Wang added.
A day earlier, the US had accused China of sending arms to Russia. “To date, we have seen Chinese companies… provide non-lethal support to Russia for use in Ukraine. The concern that we have now is based on information we have that they’re considering providing lethal support,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. The top US official also warned Beijing of consequences for sending weapons to Russua.
China questioned the US right to critique it over sovereign decisions. “We do not accept the United States’ finger-pointing on China-Russia relations, let alone coercion and pressure,” the foreign ministry spokesman said.
23 Billion in Military Aid
According to a German research institute, the Biden administration gave a mind-boggling $50 billion in assistance to Ukraine in 2022 alone. The Kiel Institute for the World Economy said this money was offered as humanitarian, financial and military support after the Russian offensive started. Of this amount, at least $23 billion was in military aid.
A quick list of US arms supplied to Ukraine can be summed as below: (Source – the US Department of Defense)
