Biden to announce new security aid for Ukraine after signing massive spending bill

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks during the afternoon general session of the National League of Cities Congressional Municipal Conference at the Marriott Marquis in Washington, U.S., March 14, 2022. REUTERS/Sarah Silbiger

WASHINGTON, March 16 (Reuters) – President Joe Biden will announce $800 million in additional security assistance to Ukraine on Wednesday, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy prepares to make an urgent appeal to the U.S. Congress to he further aids her in repelling a Russian invasion.

The funding will come from a huge spending bill signed by Biden that includes $13.6 billion in new aid to Ukraine. The new funding will provide additional humanitarian, security and economic aid, and about half of the aid will be used to deploy troops to the region and send defense equipment to Ukraine.

Earlier on Wednesday, Russia and Ukraine both underscored the new possibility of compromise as peace talks were set to resume three weeks after a Russian assault has so far failed to topple Ukraine’s government. Read more

On Tuesday, the White House said Biden would travel to Brussels for a March 24 NATO summit on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow calls a “special military operation.”

Biden has tightened sanctions on Russia in recent days. He called for a suspension of Russia’s trade status which allows its exported products lower tariffs internationally and announced a ban on Russian imports of oil and other energy.

The United Nations estimates that around 3 million people have fled Ukraine, mostly women and children, and are seeking safety in neighboring countries, mainly Poland.

Biden will deliver a speech at 11:45 a.m. ET (3:45 p.m. GMT).

Reporting by Nandita Bose and Steve Holland in Washington; edited by Jonathan Oatis

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