Biden announces heavy artillery, other weapons for Ukraine

By AAMER MADHANI, ROBERT BURNS and DARLENE SUPERVILLE
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has pledged $1.3 billion more for new weapons and economic assistance to help Ukraine in its strong but increasingly difficult battle against the Russian invasion. And he is vowing to seek much more from Congress to keep the guns, ammunition and cash flowing. The new package, announced Thursday, has $800 million in military aid including much-needed heavy artillery, 144,000 rounds of ammunition and drones for the escalating battle in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. It builds on roughly $2.6 billion in military assistance that Biden had previously approved. There’s also a fresh $500 million in direct economic assistance to Ukraine for government salaries, pensions and programs.