Biden announces new rockets and munitions for Ukraine

WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden on Tuesday (local time) said that the US is providing Ukraine “more advanced rocket systems and munitions” as its war with Russia grinds on.

Writing in a New York Times op-ed, Biden said the US goal is “to see a democratic, independent, sovereign and prosperous Ukraine with the means to deter and defend itself against further aggression,” CNN reported.

He said the new shipment of arms would “enable them to more precisely strike key targets on the battlefield in Ukraine.” Meanwhile, a senior administration official said that the United States will unveil the eleventh security aid package for Ukraine on Wednesday (local time) that will include High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS).

“Tomorrow we’ll be announcing the 11th package of security assistance under the presidential drawdown authority. That package will contain longer-range systems, specifically HIMARS, and munitions that will enable the Ukrainians to more precisely strike targets on the battlefield,” the official said, as per Sputnik.

The package is worth USD 700 million the official said.

Acccording to the official, the US does not want to see a war between NATO and Russia and wants the ongoing conflict in Ukraine to end as soon as possible.

“The second objective the President (Joe Biden) outlined in the op-ed is that we do not seek a war between NATO and Russia, the President has been clear that we will not be directly engaged in this conflict either by sending American troops to fight in Ukraine or by attacking Russian forces,” the official said Tuesday, according to Sputnik.

“We want to see Russia end its war on Ukraine as quickly as possible,” the official added.

On February 24, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk requested help to defend them from intensifying attacks by Ukrainian troops.

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