U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Saturday that he has authorized the U.S. defense department to provide an additional $350 million in immediate military assistance to Ukraine.

Ukraine received three batches of military assistance from the U.S. in January as part of a $200 million security support package approved by U.S. President Biden in late December.

Meanwhile, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Thursday that lawmakers on Capitol Hill want to provide Ukraine with "lethal defense weapons" worth $600 million to help Kyiv defend itself against Russian forces.

Several European countries have also announced sending more security aid to Ukraine in the wake of the ongoing Russian military operation.

(With input from agencies)