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Russia-Ukraine war: EU ministers fail to pledge Patriot systems to Ukraine at key meeting – as it happened

Yohannes Lowe and Sammy Gecsoyler, 23 Apr 24  https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2024/apr/22/russia-ukraine-war-live-zelenskiy-chasiv-yar?filterKeyEvents=false&page=with%3Ablock-66261a918f08839e09ac8c8b

Russia says new US aid to Ukraine will not change situation on battlefield

A new US package of military aid to Ukraine will not change the situation on the frontlines, where Russia has the upper hand, the Kremlin said.

“The Russian armed forces are improving their positions at the front … The money allocated and the weapons that will be supplied will not change this dynamic,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

“They will lead to new victims on the Ukrainian side. More Ukrainians will die, Ukraine will suffer greater losses.”

In the Ukraine bill, of the $60.7bn, a total of about $23bn would be used by the US to replenish its military stockpiles, opening the door to future US military transfers to Ukraine.

Another $14bn would go to the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, in which the Pentagon buys advanced new weapon systems for the Ukrainian military directly from US defence contractors.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Sunday urged Washington to quickly turn the bill into law and proceed with the actual transfer of weapons, saying long-range arms and air defence systems were top priorities.

“I think this support will really strengthen the armed forces of Ukraine and we will have a chance for victory,” Zelenskiy said.

Russia said the American defence industry will be the real beneficiary of the package.

“We also recognise that most of this money will remain in the United States. The United States will become richer and will receive additional dividends by providing assistance to Ukraine. For (President Vladimir) Putin, this was expected,” Peskov said.

April 24, 2024 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | EUROPE, politics international, weapons and war