The Pentagon has announced a new military assistance package for Ukraine, totaling $425 million (€392 million), as the country prepares to confront Russian forces bolstered by over 10,000 North Korean troops.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin detailed that this aid will consist of weapons drawn from existing US stockpiles, including air defense interceptors for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems, munitions for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), 155 mm artillery, armored vehicles, and anti-tank weapons.
With this latest announcement, the total military assistance provided by the US to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in February 2022 has reached $60.4 billion (€55 billion).
Ukraine continues to endure intense missile strikes from Russia, including a recent attack on Kharkiv that involved a 500-kilogram glide bomb, resulting in three fatalities and several injuries. Russia has increasingly employed powerful glide bombs to target Ukrainian positions along the extensive 1,000-kilometer front line and to strike cities far from the immediate conflict zone.
The situation is further complicated by the arrival of North Korean soldiers in Russia, who are now positioned near the Ukrainian border and expected to join the fight soon.
Fico Voices Opposition
In Slovakia, Prime Minister Robert Fico has criticized Western military support for Ukraine, claiming that European nations are uninterested in achieving a peaceful resolution. He argued that supplying weapons only prolongs the conflict.
“It was Western politicians who ensured that no realistic peace agreements were signed in April 2022, shortly after the conflict began,” Fico stated in a video message from Beijing. He also criticized Ukrainian President Zelensky’s recent call for medium- and long-range missiles, asserting that such demands do not promote peace.
Since taking office in October 2022, Fico has halted all military aid to Ukraine but has pledged to continue humanitarian assistance. His government’s stance has sparked significant public support in Slovakia, with citizens raising funds for the Ukrainian military. A crowdfunding campaign launched in April successfully gathered €1 million within 48 hours to purchase artillery shells.
Support from the Baltics
In contrast, Estonia’s Prime Minister Kristen Michal, speaking in Latvia’s capital Riga, emphasized that the war in Ukraine is “about our freedom.” He urged European nations to emulate the “Baltic example” by providing Ukraine with the necessary resources to achieve victory.
“If you allow someone to change borders by force and then negotiate, what kind of example does that set?” Michal stated, reinforcing the importance of military support for Ukraine.
In 2024, Estonia has committed over €100 million in military aid to Ukraine, with Latvia pledging €112 million.
