Another surprise visit was made by a United States government official. If you’re guessing it was a visit to East Palestine, think again. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen visited Ukraine on Monday, reaffirming America’s support for the country.
She announced another $1.25 billion in economic aid – the first part of a new $9.9 billion package of civilian aid for Ukraine.
“Our funds help pay for emergency personnel: from firefighters who answer the call when missiles strike to medical professionals who treat sick and wounded civilians,” Yellen said at a Kyiv school that the United States helped rebuild after Russian shelling broke most of the windows and doors last spring.
Along with the Ukrainian school visit, the U.S. Treasury chief visited President Zelensky and the country’s prime minister, Denys Shmyl.
According to a report by Reuters, Shmyhal, said the two discussed further U.S. sanctions on Russia aimed at weakening its economy and military and “confiscating frozen Russian assets and putting them to the benefit of the recovery of Ukraine.”
However, Yellen told reporters in a phone briefing that there were still significant legal obstacles to fully seizing the $300 billion in Russian central bank assets frozen by sanctions.
Yellen’s visit comes a week after President Biden made a surprise visit to Kyiv, signaling his administration’s continued support for the country as they enter their second year of war against Russia.
According to Yellen, the United States has already provided roughly $50 billion to Ukraine in military, economic and humanitarian aid in the past year.
“Just as security assistance bolsters the front lines, I believe that this economic assistance is fortifying the home front, thereby strengthening Ukraine’s resistance,” she said.
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