The latest infusion of security assistance brings the total U.S. aid to Ukraine during Joe Biden’s presidency to about $4 billion, $3.4 billion of it since Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. Biden said more military help will be coming.
The U.S. also will provide $500 million more in financial assistance for Ukraine to sustain salaries, pensions and other government programs, Biden said. That is on top of $500 million committed for similar purposes last month. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Thursday that “we know this is only the beginning of what Ukraine will need to rebuild.”
Nineteen Ukrainians were released from Russian captivity Thursday in a second prisoner swap to take place this week, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister Iryna Vereschuk said in a Facebook post.
“Today we bring home 19 people, including 10 military (including 2 officers) and 9 civilians,” she wrote. “This time there are wounded among the fired, and this is very important. Well now they will be able to get full treatment and go through a rehabilitation course.”
She credited President Volodymyr Zelensky’s “constant personal involvement” in the process. The release came two days after 76 Ukrainians, including 60 soldiers, were returned to their families. The number of Russian prisoners involved in the exchange was not released, but previous exchanges have involved equal numbers of Ukrainians and Russians.
