US Provides Additional $2 Billion in Aid to Ukraine Amidst Escalating Conflict

One year after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the United States has announced an additional $2 billion military aid package for the Eastern European nation.^[0] This comes as Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said talks with Sweden and Finland over their NATO membership bids will restart on 9 March.^[1]

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine is far from over. Liam Collins, the founding director at the Modern War Institute of the United States Military Academy at West Point, believes the war will “drag on until the economic and political cost of the war become too great for Russia”.^[2] He also provided six insights about the first year of the conflict.^[2]

Ukraine has shot down 80% of Russian missiles according to Commander of the Joint Forces of the Ukrainian Air Force Serhiy Nayev.^[3] Despite two days of intense deliberation, the European Union has been unable to come to a consensus on the implementation of the tenth round of sanctions against Russia for their invasion of Ukraine.^[4]

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen made an unannounced trip to Ukraine to highlight US economic aid that’s helping keep the country’s public services running.^[0] The US has also announced fresh sanctions targeting Russia.^[0]

At a press-conference with Spain Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of Ukraine declared that connecting with high-level Chinese officials is in the nation's best interests.^[5] Joe Biden, the US president, and Olaf Scholz, Germany’s chancellor, will focus their discussions in Washington on Friday on war aid for Ukraine and may also touch on concerns that China may provide lethal aid to Russia.^[3]

Russia has escalated shelling and infantry assaults in the Bilohorivka, Svatove-Kupiansk and Kreminna areas of Ukraine’s eastern Luhansk province.^[6] Western offensive heavy equipment is on the way and therefore Ukraine’s military command can conduct an operation following the same plan as they did in the Kharkiv region.^[6]

On Friday, Poland revealed that they had gifted Ukraine with their first batch of Leopard tanks in order to assist them in their struggle against Russia.^[0]

0. “Russia-Ukraine live updates: Vladimir Putin admits military losses” Everett Post, 28 Feb. 2023, https://www.everettpost.com/blog/russia-ukraine-live-updates-vladimir-putin-admits-military-losses

1. “Russia-Ukraine war highlights | US, China trade barbs over allegations of `lethal aid` to Russia” WION, 27 Feb. 2023, https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-war-triggered-massive-human-rights-violations-un-chief-566423

2. “Ukraine Recap: Spring Comes Too Early For Putin's Tanks Eas…” MENAFN.COM, 2 Mar. 2023, https://menafn.com/1105695620/Ukraine-Recap-Spring-Comes-Too-Early-For-Putins-Tanks-Easy-Targets-As-They-Stick-In-The-Mud

3. “Russia-Ukraine live updates: Vladimir Putin admits military losses” GMA, 24 Feb. 2023, https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/live-updates/russia-ukraine-97380473

4. “Ukraine War, Day 365: UN To Demand Russia's Withdrawal” EA WorldView, 23 Feb. 2023, https://eaworldview.com/2023/02/ukraine-war-day-365-un-demand-russia-withdrawal/

5. “Ukraine Latest: US Vows ‘Sweeping Sanctions’ on Russia’s Economy” Yahoo Canada Finance, 23 Feb. 2023, https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/ukraine-latest-germany-sets-peace-074008049.html

6. “Russia-Ukraine war at a glance: what we know on day 369 of the invasion” The Guardian, 27 Feb. 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/27/russia-ukraine-war-at-a-glance-what-we-know-on-day-369-of-the-invasion