US sends first shipment of military aid to Ukraine amid standoff with Russia
The United States says the first shipment of military aid promised by President Joe Biden to Ukraine amid the standoff with Russia has arrived in Kyiv.
Late on Friday the US embassy in Kyiv tweeted photos of a consignment it said had just arrived from the US, with "close to 200,000 pounds of lethal aid, including ammunition for the front line defenders of Ukraine".
The shipment demonstrated Washington's "commitment to helping Ukraine bolster its defenses in the face of growing Russian aggression", the embassy said on Twitter.
Top US and Russian diplomats agreed on Friday to keep talking in the standoff over Ukraine, even though their meeting produced no movement in the worst security crisis to emerge between Moscow and the West since the Cold War.
Russia has massed tens of thousands of troops at the Ukrainian border and Western allies have also been supplying weaponry and equipment to Ukraine.
Britain sent anti-tank missiles earlier this week, while the defence ministers of the Baltic nations issued a statement saying they received US approval to send Stinger air defense missiles and Javelin anti-tank missiles to strengthen Kyiv's defenses.
“Today Ukraine is at the forefront of separating Europe from the military conflict with Russia,” said Estonian Defence Minister Kalle Laanet. "Let´s face it — the war in Ukraine is ongoing and it is important to support Ukraine in every way we can so that they can resist the aggressor.”
President Sauli Niinistö of Finland said he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone on European security and Ukraine, saying it was “imperative to preserve peace in Europe,” according to his office.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of NATO member Turkey, which touted its strong ties with Russia
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