US State Department allocates $10 million to Ukraine after Russia's attack in the Kerch Strait
“In response to Russia’s dangerous escalation and unjustified November 25 attack on three Ukrainian naval vessels near the Kerch Strait, the Department of State, subject to Congressional approval, will provide an additional $10 million in Foreign Military Financing to further build Ukraine’s naval capabilities,” the State Department said in a press release. In addition, Robert Palladino, Deputy Head of the State Department's press service, repeated the statement on his official Twitter page. At the moment, this initiative expects approval by the Congress.
The United States believes that the Ukrainian authorities will use the funds for their army, in particular, “to build up the naval potential of Ukraine”. As stated in the statement of the State Department, Washington takes these measures “as a sign of solidarity with Lithuania and Great Britain, who also plan to increase their assistance to Ukraine in the field of defense”.
At the end of the statement, the State Department once again called on Russia “to immediately return to Ukraine the ships and Ukrainian sailors detained in the Kerch Strait”. In addition, the United States believes that Moscow should “leave the Kerch Strait and the Sea of Azov open to ships moving to and from Ukrainian ports, and respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, including territorial waters”.