The U.S. announced Monday that it will send Ukraine an additional $350 million in ammunition, weapons, and military vehicles as Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin for peace talks in Moscow this week.
As the U.S. announced its latest handout to the Ukrainians to bolster their war effort against Russia, Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned that “the world should not be fooled” by Xi’s peace talks with Putin. Blinken claimed that China and Russia’s plan is to “freeze” territorial gains made by Russia since its invasion over a year ago.
“The fundamental element of any plan for ending the war in Ukraine and producing a just and durable peace must be upholding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine,” Blinken said, according to Bloomberg.
Xi arrived in Moscow Monday on a “mission of peace” signaling that China-Russia relations are growing stronger as the West lines up in opposition to Putin’s war in Ukraine. Blinken’s comments echo statements made by another Biden administration official last week regarding China’s peace talks with Russia.
“While that sounds perfectly reasonable and it sounds like a good thing, a ceasefire right now would basically ratify Russia’s conquest,” U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said. “Russia would basically be free to use that ceasefire to further entrench its positions in Ukraine, to rebuild their forces, refit them, re-man them, retrain them so that they can then restart attacks at a time of their choosing.”
So far, the Biden administration has sent around $50 billion in military aid to Ukraine, including 31 Abrams tanks and advanced long-range missile systems. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has pushed for the U.S. and its allies to give Ukraine fighter jets, but so far, the Biden administration has refused. Blinken, however, pledged America’s unwavering support for Ukraine on Monday, saying that Russia “could end this war today,” but until it does, “we will stand united with Ukraine for as long as it takes.”
According to Monday’s announcement, additional munitions the U.S. is sending to Ukraine include:
- Ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS);
- 155mm artillery rounds;
- 25mm ammunition;
- High-speed Anti-radiation missiles (HARMs);
- 81mm and 60mm mortar systems and mortar rounds;
- AT-4 anti-armor weapon systems;
- Grenade launchers, small arms, and associated ammunition;
- Demolition munitions and equipment for obstacle clearing;
- Mine clearing equipment;
- Heavy fuel tankers;
- Thermal imagery systems, optics, and laser rangefinders;
- Riverine patrol boats;
- Testing and diagnostic equipment to support vehicle maintenance and repair;
- Spare parts and other field equipment.
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