Page 2 - aruba-today-20220422

A2 UP FRONT
Friday 22 april 2022
Biden announces heavy artillery, other weapons for Ukraine

Continued from Front the fighting in the relatively
confined area where Ukrai-
Ukrainian President Volody- nian and Russian-backed
myr Zelenskyy expressed his separatists have been bat-
gratitude but said his na- tling since 2014.
tion needs ever more — up The announcements on
to $7 billion each month to new aid came against the
make up for economic loss- backdrop of International
es in addition to weapons Monetary Fund and World
and money for the continu- Bank meetings this week
ing war. dominated by how to man-
With tens of thousands of age the spillover from Rus-
buildings damaged and sia’s war in Ukraine.
key infrastructure in ruins, Ahead of his remarks, Biden
“we will need hundreds of met with Ukrainian Prime
billions of dollars to rebuild,” Minister Shmyhal. The Ukrai-
Zelenskyy said, addressing nian leader also met on
the World Bank meeting in Thursday with Treasury Sec-
Washington virtually. retary Janet Yellen as well
Biden underscored a need as Pelosi.
for the United States and Kristalina Georgieva, the
Western allies to remain International Monetary
resolved in their support Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, left, speaks while meeting with Speaker of the House Fund’s managing direc-
for Ukraine amid signs that Nancy Pelosi of Calif., Thursday, April 21, 2022, at the Capitol in Washington. Associated Press tor, said at a news confer-
Americans may becoming ence on Wednesday that
more wary of the war. economic aid to allies in quest “in the next day or so, 155mm howitzers, 144,000 Ukraine’s financial ministry
A poll published Thursday the region impacted by to be taken up as soon as artillery rounds, 72 vehicles officials have estimated
by The Associated Press- the war — and additional we can. Next week.” used to tow to the howit- they will need $5 billion in
NORC Center for Public funding for federal agen- Biden spoke on the new zers onto battlefields, and international assistance
Affairs Research shows cies to enforce economic assistance, and more over 121 Phoenix Ghost per month for the coming
Americans’ desire to get sanctions against Russia broadly about the situa- tactical drones, as well as months to help cover es-
involved has waned some- and protect against cyber tion in Ukraine, hours after field equipment and spare sential government servic-
what. Some 32% say the threats. Russian President Vladimir parts. es and keep the country’s
U.S. should have a major “Next week, I’m going Putin claimed victory in the Pentagon press secretary economy going.
role in the conflict. That’s to have to be sending to strategic city of Mariupol. John Kirby said the drones Before Biden’s public re-
ticked down from 40% last Congress a supplemental Putin, however, ordered were developed by the Air marks, the president met
month, though it’s slightly budget request to keep his troops not to risk more Force in specific response with Ukrainian Prime Minis-
higher than the 26% who weapons and ammunition losses by storming the last to Ukrainian needs and pro- ter Shmyhal. The Ukrainian
said so in February. An ad- deployed without interrup- pocket of Ukrainian resis- duced by a U.S. company, leader also met with Trea-
ditional 49% say the U.S. tion,” Biden said. tance in the war’s iconic Aevex Aerospace, but he sury Secretary Janet Yellen
should have a minor role. Congress has signaled it battleground. would not say whether as well as Pelosi.
The president also an- is receptive to further re- Biden in an exchange with the program began be- Yellen at a news confer-
nounced that Russian-affili- quests and has been ex- reporters following his re- fore Russia started its inva- ence said the economic
ated ships would be barred pecting there would be marks called Russia’s claim sion Feb. 24. Kirby said the aid the U.S. and allies have
from U.S. ports, though that a need for further help for on Mariupol “question- Phoenix Ghost is similar to sent “is only the beginning
appeared to be largely the Ukrainians. But the issue able.” the armed Switchblade of what Ukraine will need
symbolic. Russian ships could become entwined Russian forces have de- kamikaze drones that the to rebuild.” She added that
bring a tiny amount of the with partisan fights over stroyed much of south- Pentagon already is provid- she’d be discussing efforts
cargo unloaded in the pandemic spending and eastern port city, which ing to Ukraine. to further aid Ukraine with
U.S., and “my guess is that immigration, complicating has witnessed some of the The 72 howitzers are in ad- her Western counterparts
... a decent chunk of that the pathway. fiercest fighting of the war. dition to the 18 announced this week.
was tankers transporting Senate Minority Leader By Russian estimates, about last week the U.S. was trans- “I think we stand united in
Russian oil which is now Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., 2,000 Ukrainian forces re- ferring to Ukraine. recognizing we’ve got to
banned anyway,’’ said has expressed a willing- main holed up in a sprawl- Biden’s decision to quadru- find ways to meet Ukraine’s
Colin Grabow, a research ness to consider more aid ing steel plant, even as Rus- ple the number pledged needs,” she said.
fellow who studies trade at for Ukraine in recent weeks. sia continues to pound the in an arms package an- The Biden administration
the Cato Institute. “I think we need to say we industrial site and issue ulti- nounced just last week re- also announced a new
Overall, Biden said that want the Ukrainians to win, matums for surrender. flects what is shaping up as program Thursday aimed
$6.5 billion in security as- and we’re prepared to do Biden sought to make clear a major ground battle in at streamlining refugee
sistance that Congress ap- everything we can to help to Russians that plenty the contested Donbas re- applications for Ukrainians
proved last month as part them win,” McConnell said more military assistance for gion of eastern Ukraine. and others fleeing the fight-
of a $13.6 billion package Monday in Shelbyville, Ken- Ukraine would be coming. The Russians have been ing, while they are still in
for Ukraine could soon be tucky. “Sometimes we will speak deploying additional artil- Europe. The U.S. will no lon-
“exhausted.” With the lat- “We want to do more,” softly and carry a large Jav- lery there in recent days as ger routinely grant entry to
est announcement, Biden House Speaker Nancy Pe- elin, because we’re send- they aim to expand their those who show up at the
has approved about $3.4 losi, D-Calif., told reporters ing a lot of those,” Biden offensive and attempt to U.S.-Mexico border seeking
billion in military aid since at the Capitol, during an said, paraphrasing Theo- take full control of the Don- asylum, as thousands have.
Feb. 24. Congress’ overall appearance with Ukrai- dore Roosevelt and refer- bas after retreating from a The U.S. expects to admit
total also included about nian Prime Minister Denys ring to an anti-tank missile failed attempt to capture up to 100,000 refugees from
$6.8 billion in direct eco- Shmyhal. She said lawmak- system. Kyiv, the capital. Heavy Ukraine and about 15,000
nomic assistance to care ers would learn more about The new U.S. military as- weaponry like artillery is ex- have come, mostly through
for refugees and provide Biden’s latest funding re- sistance is to include 72 pected to play a key role in Mexico.q