U.S. support and sanctions
The Biden administration said early Friday it would send Ukraine a range of high-tech military equipment, ammunition and financial aid, in a new support package on the anniversary of what it called Russia’s “brutal and unprovoked” full-scale invasion.
The White House said in a statement that it was also joining with partners in the Group of Seven countries to impose new financial penalties designed to stop the funding of Moscow’s war machine.
Those measures will include sanctions sanctions on 200 people and companies, restricting exports to Russia and increasing tariffs on products from the country.
“This week, President Biden visited Kyiv, Ukraine and Warsaw, Poland to send a clear and powerful message that the United States will continue to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes,” the Biden administration said in a statement.
The new tranche of equipment for Kyiv includes drones, high-mobility artillery rocket systems known as HIMARS, a “large amount” of ammunition for artillery systems, mine-clearing devices and communications gear.
Zelenskyy, who has won acclaim across the Western world for leading his country’s stand in Kyiv, pledged to push for victory in the second year of the war.
“On February 24, millions of us made a choice. Not a white flag, but the blue and yellow one. Not fleeing, but facing. Resisting & fighting,” he said on Twitter early Friday.
“It was a year of pain, sorrow, faith, and unity. And this year, we remained invincible. We know that 2023 will be the year of our victory!”
China’s peace plan
Russia has marked the anniversary with an uncompromising speech from Putin this week, in which he vowed to improve the country’s nuclear capabilities after suspending its role in the New START arms treaty, and a patriotic event in Moscow on Wednesday to honor Russia’s armed forces.
The U.S. lethal aid package came as China set out its own vision for peace in Ukraine, restating a call for a cease-fire and an end to unilateral sanctions — days after the U.S. said China may be set to provide Russia with lethal military assistance.
A statement from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday said: “Conflict and war benefit no one. All parties must stay rational and exercise restraint, avoid fanning the flames and aggravating tensions, and prevent the crisis from deteriorating further or even spiraling out of control.”
While China says it is neutral in the conflict, it also has what calls a “no limits” relationship with Moscow. China has stopped short of criticizing the Russian invasion and has refused to describe it as such.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
