Biden announces $800 million in military aid for Ukraine.

WASHINGTON — President Biden mentioned on Wednesday that the US would ship $800 million in extra army help to Ukraine, shortly after the nation’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, delivered an impassioned digital tackle to Congress by which he appealed for extra assist in staving off Russia’s invasion.

“This new package deal by itself goes to supply unprecedented help to Ukraine,” Mr. Biden mentioned, including that the Russian invasion was producing “appalling devastation and horror” in that nation.

“The American persons are answering President Zelensky’s name for extra assist, for extra weapons for Ukraine,” he mentioned.

However Mr. Biden stopped nicely in need of responding to the extra direct army intervention that Mr. Zelensky has repeatedly requested, together with for the US and NATO to implement a no-fly zone over Ukraine.

In his dramatic tackle to American lawmakers hours earlier, Mr. Zelensky confirmed a ugly video of the Russian assaults on Ukrainian cities and pleaded for added army help, a no-fly zone and extra extreme sanctions on Russia. He described the risk his nation confronted as an assault on the democratic values championed by the US.

Talking from the White Home, Mr. Biden condemned what he referred to as a “God-awful” invasion that’s an “outrage to the world.” And he hailed Mr. Zelensky’s braveness.

“He was convincing. A major speech,” Mr. Biden mentioned. “He speaks for individuals who have proven outstanding braveness and energy within the face of brutal aggression.”

Mr. Biden has pledged to reinforce Ukraine’s capacity to combat and to defend its capital, Kyiv, and different besieged cities whereas additionally attempting to keep away from steps that might result in a direct army confrontation with Russia and a broader struggle in Europe.

White Home officers mentioned the $800 million that Mr. Biden introduced was a part of the spending package deal he signed on Tuesday that included $14 billion in help for Ukraine.

America final week introduced $200 million in safety help for Ukraine. In February, it permitted a $350 million arms package deal.

The weapons supplied to Ukraine from the US have included a minimum of 600 Stinger antiaircraft missiles and about 2,600 Javelin antitank missiles, in accordance with a senior White Home official. However Ukraine says it wants refined antimissile methods.

America has additionally supplied 5 Mi-17 helicopters, three patrol boats and 70 different automobiles of assorted varieties, plus small arms, tactical gear and army medical gear, the White Home official mentioned. The weapons come from present U.S. army stockpiles in Europe, the official mentioned, and are flown into neighboring international locations like Poland and Romania, the place they’re shipped overland into western Ukraine.

Zolan Kanno-Youngs, David E. Sanger and Katie Rogers contributed reporting.