US announces additional aid of $54 million to Ukraine

The United States is providing additional humanitarian assistance to Ukraine of $54 million, said the US State Department in its press release on Sunday.

“The United States, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the US Department of State, is providing nearly USD 54 million in additional humanitarian assistance to Ukraine following Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified further invasion of Ukraine, which is expected to trigger increased needs,” said the press release.

This funding includes nearly $26 million from the Department of State and $28 million from the US Agency for International Development.

State Department added that this additional assistance will support US partners to provide critically needed health care, safe drinking water, sanitation, hygiene supplies, and protection for vulnerable children.

“This includes critical emergency health supplies to meet the needs of hundreds of thousands of people, as well as emergency food assistance to meet the immediate needs of 125,000 people,” read the statement.

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According to the State Department the aid also includes “a delivery of high thermal blankets this week to help more than 18,500 people, including people displaced from their homes, disabled people, and older people, stay warm during the harsh winter.”

This follows USAID’s announcement that it has deployed a 17-member Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to the region to lead the U.S. humanitarian response to the crisis, said the release.

Sharing the details of the previous assistance that the US has provided to Ukraine, the press release said, “The United States is the single largest donor of humanitarian assistance in Ukraine. Since the conflict began in 2014, the United States has provided nearly USD 405 million to vulnerable communities across Ukraine, including nearly USD 169 million from USAID and nearly USD 236 million from the Department of State. This includes food, safe drinking water, shelter, emergency health care, and winterization services to communities affected by ongoing fighting. This assistance is in addition to USAID development programming, which has ramped up in the wake of the crisis to respond to cyberattacks, disinformation, threats to the energy sector, essential health needs, and to support the continued functioning of local and national government entities.”

Earlier, US President Joe Biden on Friday authorized a sanction of $350 million to Ukraine for procurement of Defense equipment and imparting military training and education.

• Europe