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The US and Britain pledge $1,5 billion in aid to Ukraine

Antony Blinken, Volodymyr Zelensky and David Lammy

Antony Blinken, Volodymyr Zelensky and David Lammy

Photo: Associated Press

The United States and Britain pledged nearly $1.5 billion in additional aid to Ukraine on Wednesday during a visit to Kiev by their top diplomats, as Ukrainian officials reiterated their pleas to use Western-supplied missiles against targets deeper inside Russia.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced more than $700 million in humanitarian aid, while British Foreign Secretary David Lammy confirmed that his country will provide another $782 million in aid and loan guarantees. Much of the aid is aimed at bolstering Russia's power grid, which has been battered repeatedly ahead of what is expected to be a tough winter, the AP reports.

Blinken and Lammy traveled together to the Ukrainian capital in a rare joint tour to underline their commitment to the country in its fight. Air raid sirens sounded repeatedly during the visit, forcing them to cancel a wreath-laying ceremony.

Blinken has said that US President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will discuss the issue of long-range missiles when they meet in Washington on Friday.