The cost of the new package of US military assistance to Ukraine with MLRS HIMARS will be $ 700 million
US President Joe Biden wrote in his article in The New York Times that the United States will continue to supply Ukraine with modern weapons, but will not allow it to strike at Russia. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky also promised that Kiev would not attack the territory of the Russian Federation.
"We will continue to supply Ukraine with weapons"
Biden wrote that the goal of the United States is "to see a democratic, independent, sovereign and prosperous Ukraine with the means to deter and protect against further aggression." The US President agrees with the statement of the Ukrainian leader that the conflict "will finally end only through diplomatic means," so the Americans "promptly sent Ukraine a significant amount of weapons and ammunition so that it could fight on the battlefield and take the strongest possible position at the negotiating table."
"That's why I decided that we will provide Ukrainians with more advanced missile systems and ammunition that will allow them to more accurately hit key targets on the battlefield in Ukraine," the American leader explained.
According to Biden, the United States will continue to develop sanctions against Russia - "the toughest ever imposed on a large economy."
"We will continue to supply Ukraine with modern weapons, including Javelin anti-tank missiles, Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, powerful artillery and precision missile systems, radars, unmanned aerial vehicles, Mi-17 helicopters and ammunition. We will also send billions more in the form of financial assistance," he stressed.
The President of the United States added that the United States will continue to strengthen the eastern flank of NATO.
"We are not looking for a war between NATO and Russia. Despite the fact that I disagree with Mr. Putin and find his actions outrageous, the United States will not try to get him expelled from Moscow. Until the United States or our allies are attacked, we will not take direct part in this conflict, we will not send American troops to fight in Ukraine, we will not attack Russian troops," the US president said.
According to a high-ranking representative of the US administration, speaking at a special telephone briefing for journalists on Tuesday, the United States will soon announce the transfer to Ukraine of the 11th package of military assistance, including multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS), including HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems).
"These systems will be used by Ukrainians to repel the advance of Russian forces on Ukrainian territory, but they will not be used against targets on Russian territory," he said.
It is expected that the volume of military assistance will amount to $700 million.
Strike on the territory of Russia
Biden also noted in his article that the United States "does not encourage and does not allow Ukraine to strike outside its borders," because "they do not want to prolong the war just to hurt Russia."
He also promised that Washington would not put pressure on Kiev to make territorial concessions to the Russian Federation. In his opinion, "it would be wrong and contrary to established principles."
"I know that many people around the world are concerned about the use of nuclear weapons. At present, we do not see any signs that Russia intends to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine. Let me make it clear: any use of nuclear weapons in this conflict would be completely unacceptable both for us and for the rest of the world, and would entail grave consequences," Biden concluded.
Earlier, as reported by Reuters, Biden said that the United States would not supply Ukraine with missile systems that could strike Russia.
His statement was confirmed by the US Permanent Representative to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, specifying that the US does not provide Ukraine with weapons that allow it to attack Russian territory.
"From the first day we made it clear that we are providing Ukraine with weapons for defense against Russian aggression, for protection within its territory. We do not provide weapons that would allow Ukrainians to attack Russia from the territory of Ukraine. We are not going to become a party to this conflict," she stressed.
In turn, the President of Ukraine, Vladimir Zelensky, in an interview with the Newsmax TV channel, assured that Kiev was not going to attack the territory of the Russian Federation.
"I know that people in the United States or someone in the White House say that we can use them (long-range missiles - "Newspaper.Ru") used to attack Russia. Look, we are not going to attack Russia. We are not interested in the Russian Federation, we are not fighting on its territory," he said.
He added that at the moment "the most difficult situation has developed in the east of Ukraine and in the south of Donetsk and Lugansk," and Ukraine is losing "60-100 soldiers a day killed and about 500 people wounded in battle."
Maria Shustrova
