Kyiv confirms new US aid package

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal confirmed on Tuesday that the United States will send a new $2.5 billion economic aid package (more than €2.3 billion).

According to the website of the government of Ukraine, these funds will go to Kyiv through the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and will be used to pay doctors, pensioners, internally displaced persons and help low-income families.

“It should be noted that since the beginning of the year, Ukraine has received almost five billion dollars. [mais de 4,6 mil milhões de euros] support from the European Union (EU) and more than two billion dollars [mais de 1,8 mil milhões de euros] assistance from the United States,” the Ukrainian executive director said.

In addition to the confirmed economic support from the United States, Denys Shmygal stressed that other organizations and European powers cooperated financially with the Ukrainian authorities.

The Joe Biden administration in the United States has promised to send Ukraine up to $9.9 billion (more than €9.1 billion) to support the national economy, regardless of military assistance that Washington may provide to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, CNN reports.

Ukraine estimates a budget deficit of more than 33.2 billion euros for 2023, with almost all government revenues going to be used to improve military capabilities and weaponry given the Russian offensive in the country.

“We have an agreement on a new program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). We have received financial assistance from the UK, the World Bank, Germany, Spain, Finland, Ireland, Switzerland, Belgium, Iceland and Estonia. payments for 50,000 Ukrainians who found themselves in difficult living conditions and suffered from Russian aggression,” the head of government added.

The military offensive launched by Russia on February 24, 2022 on the territory of Ukraine has so far caused the flight of more than 14.6 million people – 6.5 million internally displaced persons and more than 8.1 million to European countries – from, according to the latest UN data, who classify this migration crisis as the worst in Europe since the Second World War (1939-1945).

At the moment, at least 18 million Ukrainians are in need of humanitarian assistance, and 9.3 million are in need of food aid and housing.

The Russian invasion, justified by Russian President Vladimir Putin on the need to “denazify” and demilitarize Ukraine for Russia’s security, was condemned by the international community at large, which responded by sending weapons to Ukraine and imposing political and economic sanctions on Russia.

The UN has presented as confirmed 8,401 civilians killed and 14,023 wounded since the beginning of the war, emphasizing that these figures are much lower than the real ones.