US reported to be preparing another $800m military aid package to Ukraine

More artillery and tens of thousands of shells may be sent as Russia steps up pressure on besieged city in eastern Ukraine

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The US is preparing to send more aid to Ukraine, matching the $800 million in assistance President Joe Biden pledged last week, media outlets reported on Wednesday.

Details were still being discussed, CNN said.

NBC News said the aid could include more artillery and tens of thousands of shells as fighting in eastern Ukraine intensifies.

When asked by reporters on Tuesday if more weapons were to be sent, Mr Biden said: “Yes".

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US President Joe Biden, flanked by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin (L) and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley, meets with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Combatant Commanders in Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, DC on April 20, 2022.  (Photo by MANDEL NGAN  /  AFP)

The president discussed additional security and economic and humanitarian assistance with G7, EU and Nato leaders on Tuesday.

They also talked about providing more ammunition, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.

Word of additional military assistance came as Russia pushed for victory in the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol. A surrender ultimatum to Ukrainian troops expired on Wednesday.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the US is moving as quickly as possible to deliver assistance.

“We know that the time is not our friend. And the clock is a bit of an enemy here, too,” he said.

Mr Biden last week announced an $800m package that included helicopters, 18 howitzers and 40,000 artillery rounds. The Pentagon said on Monday the first shipments had arrived at Ukraine's borders.

The US military began training Ukrainian troops on the use of howitzer artillery, a senior US defence official said on Wednesday. The training, which is being conducted outside Ukraine, will take about one week.

"It's a smallish number of Ukrainians, a little bit more than 50," the official said.

Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby told reporters that should Ukraine need any more artillery rounds, "the United States will be right at the front of the line doing what we can to help get them there."

Ukraine has also received aircraft and aircraft parts from partner countries, Mr Kirby said, but Washington has not provided aircraft.

The US has so far provided $3.2 billion in assistance to Ukraine.

Mr Biden is scheduled to meet Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen Mark Milley and other military figures on Wednesday.

Mr Austin earlier met Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak at the Pentagon.

Agencies contributed to this report

Updated: April 20, 2022, 10:52 PM