Zelensky to Address Congress as US Pledges $800m in Military Aid

US President Joe Biden is set to announce an extra 800 million dollars in military aid to Ukraine.

Reports say the money will go towards anti-armour and anti-aircraft weapons, such as Stingers and Javelins.

The funding is covered by a spending bill on humanitarian, defensive and economic assistance to Ukraine that was approved by the US Congress last week.

Signing the bill on Tuesday, Mr Biden said Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attack on Ukraine had united people across the world.

Also, Ukraine’s president is expected to intensify pleas for Nato allies to help halt Russian attacks when he addresses the US Congress by video link later.

Mr Volodymyr Zelensky is likely to repeat his request for a no-fly zone, in his latest speech to a national parliament.

In the past year, the Biden administration has provided $1.2bn in weapons for the country, including Mi-17 helicopters, patrol boats and small arms such as grenade launchers and machine guns.

In addition to a no-fly zone, the Ukrainian president has also asked the US and the EU for Polish MiG-29 fighter jets, but this has been rejected by Mr Biden over fears this would pull Nato members into the war.

Meanwhile, Nato defence ministers are meeting in Brussels to discuss their response to the invasion.

Mr Biden is expected to travel to Brussels next week to meet Nato allies and participate in a summit of European Union leaders.

On Tuesday, the prime ministers of Poland, Slovenia and the Czech Republic met Mr Zelensky in the evening as a curfew began in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.

Afterwards, the Czech leader told Ukrainians that they were “not alone”.

The group are the first Western leaders to visit Ukraine since Russia invaded last month.

BBC