The European Union said it had signed an agreement with Ukraine to provide it with 500 million euros ($497 million) in aid to support housing, education and agriculture.

The new package was announced by the European Commission after high-ranking officials held a meeting in Brussels of the EU-Ukraine Association Council with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyal.

In the context of the assistance, US President Joe Biden announced on Wednesday, August 24, new military assistance to Ukraine in the amount of about three billion dollars, according to the French press (AFP). “The United States is determined to stand by the Ukrainian people as they continue to defend their sovereignty,” he said, stressing that “we look forward to continuing to glorify Ukraine as a democratic, independent, sovereign, and prosperous nation in the coming decades.” “

Since February 24, the Russian armed forces have continued to conduct a special operation to “defend the Donbass” in southeastern Ukraine, as the Russian authorities put it. Russian President Vladimir Putin previously confirmed that Russia has no plans to occupy Ukrainian lands, explaining that “the purpose of the operation is to protect people who have been persecuted and genocide by the Kyiv regime for eight years.