US aside from Ukraine, shares money for Kosovo Army

A US State Department official said that approximately $1 billion would be earmarked for Ukraine.

The rest will be divided between: Kosovo, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Latvia, Moldova, Montenegro, northern Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.

The aid aims to be used for the protection of sovereignty, modernisation of security forces, improved partnership with NATO's military alliance, and strengthening capacities for “opposed Russian influence and aggression”, the US official said.

American aid comes in the form of grants and loans that will allow states to buy US-made weapons and defence equipment.

Secretary Blinken announced his new assistance during his visit to Kiev on September 8th. This is the second visit by the U.S. capital, since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine on 24 February.

Blinken met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, with American diplomats and visited a children's hospital, where he spoke to the injured from the Russian bombings, Reuters reports.

U.S. President Joe Biden has also approved the surrender of arms to Ukraine worth $675 million, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin announced earlier Thursday.

More ammunition and opposing Humvee systems will be involved in the new military aid package, officials said.

With the last package, the US military aid has provided for Ukraine since Biden became president is worth $15.2 billion.

Prior to the visit to Ukraine, Blinken also stayed in Poland as Belarus announced military training near the Polish border on September 8th. / REL/