Obama offers $53 million aid to Ukraine

US President Barack Obama unveiled a new $53 million aid package for Ukraine as he welcomed its embattled new leader, Petro Poroshenko, to the White House on Thursday.

President Poroshenko renewed his call for robust American military assistance when he addressed a rare joint session of Congress earlier in the day.

His remarks were repeatedly interrupted by applause from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers.

While the White House balked at Poroshenko’s request for “lethal aid” to combat pro-Russian forces in eastern Ukraine, it announced $46 million in military assistance that includes counter-mortar radar to detect incoming artillery fire.

The US will also provide vehicles and patrol boats, heavy engineering equipment, body armor, helmets, night-vision goggles and blankets.

American military advisers will also help Ukraine improve its military capabilities, the White House said.

Poroshenko praised US assistance but said, “One cannot win a war with blankets.”

In addition to military assistance, the aid package includes $7 million for international organizations providing humanitarian aid to civilians affected by the violence.

The new package is in addition to $291 million the US has already given to Ukraine, as well as a $1 billion loan guarantee.

The US and its Western allies have repeatedly accused Moscow of destabilizing Ukraine by supplying arms to the pro-Russian forces operating in the eastern part of the country.

Moscow has dismissed as “nonsense” claims that Russian special forces are fomenting unrest in Ukraine.

HRJ/HRJ