Staff Reports
President Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a deal Thursday to show that the United States will keep helping Ukraine stay safe. They also agreed that Ukraine can have a $50 billion loan. The loan will use Russian money as a guarantee.
The agreement, signed while Mr. Biden is at a meeting in southern Italy, shows that the United States wants to give support to Ukraine. Russia started attacking Ukraine in February 2022, and Ukraine needs help to stop the fighting.
The money from Russian sanctions will be loaned to Ukraine for things like military help, things to help people, and fixing things that were broken because of the war, the White House said.
Biden, Zelenskyy sign $50 billion loan pact as Russia war rages on: President Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a deal Thursday pledging the United States' long-term commitment to Ukraine's security and giving the war-ravaged… https://t.co/WQsBqgiUaa pic.twitter.com/EeKrDBx7zJ
— JPNWMN (@JPNWMN) June 14, 2024
At a news conference about the security agreement, Mr. Biden said the deal tells Russian President Vladimir Putin that the West is serious about helping Ukraine. People were worried that the group of countries helping Ukraine might not stay strong, but Mr. Biden said, “We’re not backing down.”
The United States has not given all of the $50 billion yet, but a person who works for the government said they will if they need to. They also want other countries to help too.
The agreement is similar to deals Ukraine has with other countries. It doesn’t say the United States will send soldiers to fight in Ukraine, but it does talk about how the U.S. and its friends will help Ukraine fight Russia.
Mr. Biden said this means giving Ukraine weapons and bullets, sharing secret information, and teaching Ukrainian soldiers at U.S. bases in Europe.
Mr. Zelenskyy said the deal is “a historic day” in the fight against Russia.
The G7 countries — Germany, Japan, France, the United Kingdom, Canada, Italy and the United States — are meeting for two days in Italy. They will talk about Ukraine, China, helping the world get better, and stopping climate change.
Mr. Biden and Mr. Zelenskyy talked by themselves last week in Paris, and Mr. Biden said that the United States will give Ukraine $225 million to buy weapons.
