Several governments have announced the sending of military or humanitarian aid to Ukraine, since the invasion of the country by Russia on Thursday.
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Washington announced $350 million in new military aid to Ukraine on Saturday, bringing the total to more than $1 billion in aid over the past year.
“This assistance will include new defensive military assets that will enable Ukraine to combat the armored, airborne and other threats it faces today,” said US Foreign Minister Antony Blinken.
Washington also announced on Sunday $54 million in additional humanitarian aid to Kiev.
The European Union will finance the purchase and delivery of armaments and other equipment to Ukraine, announced the President of the European Commission Ursula Von der Leyen; stating that this was a first for the Union.
Germany broke a taboo by agreeing to deliver weapons to Ukraine, thus breaking its policy of banning all exports of lethal weapons in conflict zones.
Berlin has authorized the delivery to Kiev of 1,000 anti-tank rocket launchers, 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles and 9 howitzers. Germany also announced the shipment to Ukraine of 14 armored vehicles as well as 10,000 tons of fuel.
Sweden also broke with its doctrine and announced on Sunday that it was going to deliver anti-tank weapons to Kiev.
France decided on Saturday to deliver additional defense equipment to the Ukrainian authorities as well as fuel support.
The general staff of the armies had previously indicated that it had “acted” on deliveries of defensive weapons to Kiev, Ukraine having in particular, according to its ambassador in Paris, requested “means of anti-aircraft protection” and digital.
Belgium announced to provide 2000 machine guns, 3800 tons of fuel, 3000 additional automatic rifles and 200 anti-tank weapons to the Ukrainian army.
The Dutch Ministry of Defense said it “shipped out Saturday” sniper rifles and helmets.
In a letter to the Dutch parliament, he wrote that he would supply “200 Stinger anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine as soon as possible.”
The Netherlands also announced 20 million euros in humanitarian aid (food, water and medical care for the displaced).
The Czech Republic, which had already approved a donation to Kiev of 4,000 artillery shells, announced on Saturday that it would send “in the coming hours” to Ukraine an arsenal of 30,000 pistols, 7,000 assault rifles, 3,000 machine guns and several dozen sniper rifles as well as a million cartridges, for a value of 7.6 million euros (approximately $10.8 million CAD).
At the end of January, Prague had already approved a donation to Kiev of four thousand artillery shells worth 1.5 million euros (around $2 million CAD) still to be delivered.
Portugal will deliver in particular “vests, helmets, night vision goggles, grenades, ammunition of different calibers” or even “G3 automatic rifles”.
Greece will send “defensive equipment” and humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
No details have been communicated on the type of equipment that will be shipped.
The Romanian government will send to Kiev “fuel, bullet-proof vests, helmets, ammunition and other military equipment, for a total cost of 3 million euros (about 4.3 M$ CAD)”.
According to Bucharest, 11 Romanian military hospitals are also ready to receive wounded Ukrainians.
Italy has paid 110 million euros (approximately CAD 157.5 million) in aid to the Ukrainian government, “a concrete sign of solidarity and support”, according to the government.
Spain will send 20 tons of aid to Ukraine, mainly medical equipment and defensive equipment such as bulletproof vests.
Israel will provide 100 tons of humanitarian material.
These are “water purifiers, medical equipment, medicines, tents, blankets and sleeping bags and other aids that can assist civilians who find themselves outside their homes in the cold”.