US will "continue to provide Ukraine with the support it needs"
The US defense secretary has said the world is at a "challenging moment".
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U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin assured that the country will "continue to provide Ukraine with the support that it needs."
"We meet at a challenging moment. [Vladimir] Putin's invaders have launched another offensive into sovereign Ukrainian territory. And Kremlin forces will likely try to make further advances in the coming weeks — and they will likely try to establish a buffer zone along Ukraine's border," Austin said at the opening of the 22nd Ukraine Defense Contact Group.
The U.S. did not announce any new aid packages on Monday, the Associated Press (AP) news agency reported, as Ukraine continues to complain of delays in the delivery of weapons pledged by the Pentagon.
Weapons that were prepositioned in Europe began flowing into Ukraine shortly after the aid package was approved, AP quoted Pentagon officials as saying.
On Friday, during a visit to China, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow's offensive in Ukraine's Kharkiv region was aimed at creating a "security zone", and that there were no plans to capture the city.
According to AP, in the three weeks since President Joe Biden signed the $95 billion (€87 billion) foreign aid package, the U.S. has delivered $1.4 billion (€1.3 billion) in weapons.
An additional $6 billion (€5.52 billion) in funding was announced through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI).
This initiative funds long-term contracts with the defense industry, meaning that the weapons could take many months or even years to reach Ukraine, AP said.
Read Also: Putin describes offensive in Kharkiv as response to Ukrainian attacks (Portuguese version)
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