Ukraine War Briefing: US announces new $1 billion support package for Ukraine as Zelensky meets Trump | Ukraine

The United States announced a new $988 million security aid package for Ukraine on Saturday as Washington announced Seeks aid to Kyiv before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. The package includes drones, ammunition for Himars precision rocket launchers, and equipment and spare parts for artillery systems, tanks and armored vehicles, the Pentagon said in a statement. It follows a $725 million package announced Monday that includes a second tranche of landmines and anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons. Meanwhile, European military aid to Ukraine may have to be doubled if Donald Trump cuts off US funding, European diplomats fear.

Donald Trump met in Paris on Saturday with Volodymyr Zelensky, who said any solution to the war with Russia should be a “just” solution These include “strong security guarantees for Ukraine”. The meeting was of great importance for Zelensky, as there are fears in Kiev that Trump could pressure Ukraine to make concessions to Moscow. While in the city for the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral, Trump arranged a hastily arranged meeting with Zelensky and Frenchman Emmanuel Macron on Saturday. Macron and other European leaders are trying to persuade Trump to maintain support for Ukraine. Zelensky said he had a “good and productive” meeting with Trump and Macron and that they wanted the war with Russia to end quickly and “in a fair way.”

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned on Saturday that failure to continue to oppose Russia’s actions would have dire consequences. “We can continue to stand up to the Kremlin. Or we can let Putin have his way – and condemn our children and grandchildren to live in a world of chaos and conflict,” Austin said, speaking at the Reagan National Defense Forum in California. “This government has made its choice. And that also applies to a bipartisan coalition in Congress. The next government will have to make its own decision.”

Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday he fully supported anti-government protesters in Georgia. after thousands of protesters marched in the Georgian capital Tbilisi on Saturday for a tenth day of rallies sparked by a disputed election. Zelensky called on Tbilisi to stop “capitulating” to Moscow at a meeting with the country’s pro-EU President Salome Zurabishvili in Paris.

Zelensky also said on Saturday that a second batch of F-16 fighter jets had arrived in Ukraine from Denmark. “The second batch of F-16s from Denmark arrived in Ukraine. “This is an example of leadership in protecting lives that sets Denmark apart,” Zelenskiy said in a post on X.

The Russian Defense Ministry said Saturday that its troops had captured Berestky, a small village near the embattled town of Kurakhove in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region.

A day of mourning was observed in Ukraine’s Zaporizhia region for 10 people killed in a Russian attack on Friday. Another 24 people, including two children, were injured when a rocket hit a local gas station, regional governor Ivan Fedorov said. Another three people were killed in an attack on the Ukrainian town of Kryvyi Rih on Friday, Ukraine’s state civil protection agency said.