VOA新闻杂志2022--布林肯突访基辅 将向乌及邻国提供20亿美元资助

Blinken Visits Kyiv, Offers $2 Billion in New US Military Aid

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made an unannounced visit to Kyiv Thursday. He offered $2.2 billion in new military aid to Ukraine and other European countries threatened by Russia.

During his visit, Blinken held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other officials.

Blinken said in a statement that the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden had informed Congress of its plans to provide $2.2 billion in long-term military financing.

U.S. officials said about $1 billion of the aid will go to Ukraine. The rest will be divided among 18 of its neighbors, including NATO military alliance members and area security partners. The aid will provide loans to countries to permit them to buy weapons and defense¹ equipment made in the U.S.

The countries receiving aid remain "potentially at risk of future Russian aggression²," Blinken said in a statement. "President (Joe) Biden has been clear we will support the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes."

It was Blinken's second visit to the Ukrainian capital since Russia invaded the country in February.

White House officials said Biden also spoke³ by phone with U.S. allies and partners "to underscore our continued support for Ukraine as it defends itself from Russian aggression."

The new military aid is in addition to a separate deal worth $675 million announced earlier Thursday by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during a visit to Ramstein, Germany. That aid covers heavy weapons, ammunition⁴ and military vehicles for Ukraine alone.

Zelensky said Ukraine was thankful for America's "enormous support," which he said was helping⁵ Ukraine "return our territory and lands."

During his visit, Blinken also held talks with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and visited a children's hospital, where he met young people injured in Russian bombings.

The latest aid offering brings the total U.S. security assistance to Ukraine to $15.2 billion since Biden took office in January 2021, Blinken said.

A State Department official told reporters in Poland before the visit, "All of this security assistance is trying to help ensure that Ukraine is successful in this counteroffensive."

The aid announcements came as fighting between Ukraine and Russia intensified⁶ in recent days, with Ukrainian forces launching new counteroffensives to retake Russian-held areas.

Words in This Story

potential – n. a likelihood of changing in the future

underscore – v. to emphasize the importance of something

enormous – adj. extremely large

ensure – v. to make certain that something happens

1 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

2 aggression   

n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害

参考例句：

• So long as we are firmly united, we need fear no aggression.只要我们紧密地团结，就不必惧怕外来侵略。
• Her view is that aggression is part of human nature.她认为攻击性是人类本性的一部份。

3 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

4 ammunition   

n.军火，弹药

参考例句：

• A few of the jeeps had run out of ammunition.几辆吉普车上的弹药已经用光了。
• They have expended all their ammunition.他们把弹药用光。

5 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

6 intensified   

v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Violence intensified during the night. 在夜间暴力活动加剧了。
• The drought has intensified. 旱情加剧了。 来自《简明英汉词典》