The United States announced on Tuesday, June 18 a $250 million military aid package for war-torn Ukraine to strengthen the former Soviet republic’s naval and land capabilities.
The amount is part of a series of Pentagon payments now totaling $1.5 billion to the country since 2014, when Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula and a conflict erupted in eastern Ukraine.
“The United States remains committed to helping Ukraine … to strengthen democratic civilian control of the military, promote command and control reforms, enhance transparency and accountability in acquisition and budgeting, and advance defense industry reforms,” a Pentagon spokesperson said.
“These reforms will bolster Ukraine’s ability to defend its territorial integrity in support of a secure, prosperous, democratic, and free Ukraine.”
Almost 13,000 people have been killed since the Moscow-backed insurgency broke out in April 2014 following Russia’s annexation of Crimea.
Ukraine and its Western allies accuse Russia of funneling troops and arms to the pro-Moscow rebels across the border. Moscow denies the allegations.
With reporting from AFP
