The Biden administration announced that it will provide USD 1.85 billion in military aid to Ukraine, rolling out funding for a Patriot missile battery as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Washington for his first known trip out of his country since Russia invaded in February, writes apnews.

The White House announcement came just hours before Zelensky landed at Joint Base Andrews, just outside the capital. The package includes USD 1 billion in weapons and equipment from Pentagon stocks, including the Patriot battery for the first time, and USD 850 million in funding through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. Part of the USAI will be used to fund a satellite communications system, which likely will include the crucial SpaceX Starlink satellite network system owned by Elon Musk.

“As Russia continues its brutal attacks against critical infrastructure in Ukraine, the United States welcomes President Volodymyr Zelensky to Washington, D.C. today to underscore our enduring commitment to the people of Ukraine”, - Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement, adding that the U.S. will be providing “critical new and additional military capabilities to help Ukraine defend itself from Russia’s ongoing brutal and unprovoked assault”.