KYIV, Ukraine - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday thanked US counterpart Joe Biden during a phone call for "continued defence and financial support", as Washington announced a new arms shipment to Kyiv.
The two sides discussed "additional sanctions (and) the situation on the battlefield", after the United States said it would commit $625 million in military aid to Ukraine, according to a statement on Zelensky's Facebook page.
"I am grateful to the President of the United States and the entire American people for the continued defence and financial support," Zelensky said.
"I was pleased to hear the words of President Biden that our servicemen inspire the whole world, our people inspire the whole world." In the call, Biden told his Ukrainian counterpart that another $625 million in military assistance, including four HIMARS multiple rocket launchers, was on the way, the White House said.
Ukraine already has 16 of the HIMARS systems, which are widely seen as one of the most effective tools in its arsenal as the pro-Western country fights back against a massive eight-month-old Russian invasion.
Biden reaffirmed that his administration will "continue supporting Ukraine as it defends itself from Russian aggression for as long as it takes".
The State Department said the total in aid sent to Ukraine since the start of the invasion on February 24 is now more than $16.8 billion.