US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Saturday an additional package of humanitarian assistance to Ukraine worth nearly $368 million
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th July, 2022) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Saturday an additional package of humanitarian assistance to Ukraine worth nearly $368 million.
Blinken first spoke about the new extra package earlier in the day at the meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Bali. Among other things, the officials discussed the situation Ukraine, with Blinken placing particular emphasis on Beijing's stance on Russia's special military operation.
"I announced earlier today that the United States is providing nearly $368 million in additional humanitarian assistance to support those affected... (in) Ukraine," Blinken's press statement said.
The official touted the United States as "the largest single-country donor of humanitarian assistance to Ukraine," which allocated over $1.28 billion in relief measures for the Ukrainian population. Blinken noted that over 11 million Ukrainians fled the country, while 15.7 million are still in need of assistance.
The extra funding will be provided jointly by the Department of State and the US Agency for International Development (USAID), with the former accounting for nearly $288 million. The funds will be allocated to provide food, safe drinking water, accessible shelter, emergency health care and humanitarian coordination, according to the statement.
Blinken also reiterated his calls for Moscow to end hostilities and "facilitate unhindered humanitarian access in Ukraine."
On February 24, Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk appealed for help in defending themselves against Ukrainian forces. The Russian Defense Ministry said the operation is targeting Ukrainian military infrastructure only and the civilian population is not in danger.
