Joe Biden Disputes Vladimir Putin's Claims That Russia Takes Control of Mariupol, Sends $800 Million More Aide to Ukraine

As Russian forces began a long-anticipated, large-scale operation to seize Ukraine's east, President Joe Biden announced an extra $800 million package in military support to Ukraine, as well as a prohibition on all Russian-affiliated ships from entering US ports.

"Heavy artillery weapons, dozens of howitzers, and 144,000 rounds of ammunition to go with those howitzers," according to Biden, as well as tactical drones, would be included in the latest assistance package.

US Aid to Ukraine Totaled to Almost $4 Billion

Per ABC News, it follows another of comparable size announced by Biden last week, although it focuses more on artillery and ammunition, according to US sources.

The Pentagon said 72 additional howitzers and the trucks to tow them onto the battlefield are being shipped to Ukraine as part of the package, highlighting the importance of howitzer artillery in fighting in the Donbas, where the terrain is broad and open.

The 90 howitzers in total heading to Ukraine, when combined with the 18 howitzers revealed last week, "provides adequate artillery systems to equip five battalions," according to the Pentagon.

The grant puts the overall amount of US aid to Ukraine under Biden's administration at almost $4 billion. Since Putin's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, the amount has increased to $3.4 billion. Biden stated that the level of help granted by Congress last month has nearly been depleted and that he will seek approval of an additional budget proposal, as per USA Today.

Biden met with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal at the White House before making his speech. In the wake of charges that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered war crimes and genocide, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has frequently pressed Western allies, notably the United States, to send greater help.

Biden stated that his administration is "not sitting on" funds allocated by Congress for Ukraine that are going directly to the "front lines of freedom," but that not all help is made public.

President Joe Biden Disputes Putin's Claim

Biden promised the Ukrainian government $500 million in immediate economic aid. Biden pushed back against Putin's claims of triumph in the Donbas region's hotly disputed Ukrainian city of Mariupol.

Under a scheme launched by the Biden administration on Thursday, Ukrainians affected by the fighting will be able to seek temporary shelter in the United States. Biden stated that the US would accept up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees fleeing their nation when Russian soldiers attacked it.

Citizens and groups in the United States will be able to apply to sponsor Ukrainian refugees through the Uniting for Ukraine initiative beginning next week. They can apply through an online portal that will be available starting Monday on the Department of Homeland Security's website.

The majority of Americans support penalizing Russia for the invasion, giving arms to Ukraine, and allowing Ukrainian refugees into the US. In reaction to Russia's aggression, more Americans support than oppose sending US troops to Eastern Europe to help US-NATO partners, and around two-thirds believe NATO membership is beneficial to the US.

However, public support for sending US soldiers to Ukraine to confront Russian forces is limited. Only 22% of Americans support sending US soldiers to Ukraine to battle Russian forces, while 55% oppose it. The remaining 23% are undecided, Daily Mail reported.

With inflation at a four-decade high and surging oil prices worsened by the conflict, Biden confronts additional serious electoral issues heading into the midterms. According to the survey, the balance in the tradeoff between Russian sanctions and the US economy is shifting.

By a razor-thin margin, Americans want to sanction Russia as effectively as possible to reduce economic harm to the US, 51% to 45%. Last month, by a margin of 55% to 42%, more people believed that banning Russia was more important than preventing economic harm.