The first US weapons systems from the latest US defence aid package have arrived in Ukraine, according to a White House official.
The news was also reported by CNN in its live coverage of developments in Ukraine.
Washington promised Kiev additional weapons and ammunition worth up to $800 million on Wednesday, including artillery elements, armored vehicles and helicopters.
The new arms deliveries are intended to support Ukraine ahead of Russia's offensive in the eastern Donbass region.
President Joe Biden's administration has already pledged to deliver $2.5 billion worth of weapons to Ukraine since Russia's invasion began in late February. Since the beginning of last year, U.S. aid to Kiev has totaled about $3.2 billion.
Russia has complained to several Western countries, including the United States, about the arms deliveries to Ukraine. According to the US newspaper Washington Post, Moscow warned in a letter that such deliveries could have "unforeseen consequences."
Von der Leyen
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has appealed to EU countries to quickly hand over arms to Ukraine. "All member states, those who can, should do so quickly, because only then can Ukraine survive in its difficult defence struggle against Russia," von der Leyen told the German newspaper Bild.
"I make no distinction between heavy and light weapons. Ukraine must be given what it needs to defend itself and be able to handle them," the Commission president said.
The EU is preparing a sixth package of sanctions against Russia and, according to von der Leyen, it should also include mechanisms that would cause problems for the Kremlin's oil exports.
The European Commission president prepared Europe's citizens for a long military conflict: "We must do everything to ensure that it ends as soon as possible. And at the same time we must prepare for the fact that the war could last for months or even years in the worst case."
On the main points of the sixth package of EU sanctions against Russia, which is being prepared, the Commission President stressed: "We continue to look at the banking sector, especially Sberbank, which alone represents 37% of the Russian banking sector. And of course it has to do with energy issues."
Von der Leyen defended the German government against claims that it was putting the brakes on sanctions. "Germany has been supporting Ukraine for many years and approved all five sanctions packages we proposed within 48 hours. The EU has never acted as united, decisive and proactive as it is now. Germany played its part in this," Ursula von der Leyen added.
Source: in.gr
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