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Saudi Arabia commits $400 million in aid to Ukraine

Russia Ukraine War Saudi Arabia
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As the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine passes, the country is getting help from Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud visited Ukraine on Sunday and committed $400 million in aid.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted pictures of his meeting with the foreign minister. He said this was the first time a foreign minister from Saudi Arabia visited Ukraine since it gained independence more than 30 years ago.

"We appreciate this visit and consider it as an important evidence of support for Ukraine, especially on the anniversary of the beginning of full-scale aggression," Zelenskyy said.

Zelenskyy’s office said Saudi Arabia was invited to take part in the diplomatic process aimed at ending the war.

Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Many military experts expected Russia to take control of the country within weeks. However, Ukraine has proven to be tough opposition to Russia.

Zelenskyy claimed last week that nearly 150,000 Russian troops had been killed since the start of the invasion. The war has also been deadly for Ukraine. The country says it lost around 15,000 soldiers. Russia claims that number is much higher.

According to the United Nations, 8,000 civilians have been killed in the conflict and 13,000 more have been injured.

For those who have managed to escape death or injury, life is anything but normal. The U.N. estimates that 18 million people are in "dire" need of humanitarian assistance.