Refugees fleeing Ukraine arrive at the Vysne Nemecke border crossing on March 15 in Vysne Nemecke, Slovakia. Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
The U.S. is providing over $186 million in additional humanitarian assistance to Ukrainians internally displaced or forced to flee abroad by Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday in a statement.
Why it matters: The U.S. has provided nearly $293 million to Ukraine and the region since the start of the invasion in late February, including the new aid. It makes the U.S. the "largest single-country donor of humanitarian assistance to Ukraine," Blinken said.
- Over 3 million refugees have fled Ukraine since the start of the invasion.
- Nearly 2 million people have been internally displaced inside Ukraine due to the crisis, a senior administration official told reporters on a call Tuesday afternoon.
The big picture: The additional funding will go towards further bolstering humanitarian organizations "responding to the crisis and complement the generosity of the neighboring countries that are welcoming and supporting refugees," Blinken said.
- "We call for an immediate end to Russia’s continuing war against Ukraine and for Russia to facilitate unhindered humanitarian access in Ukraine and safe passage for those who seek to leave the cities where they are trapped," he added.
- The aid going to neighboring countries will provide Ukrainian refugees with food, safe drinking water, shelter and emergency health care, among other benefits, he noted.
Go deeper: The latest on the Russia-Ukraine crisis
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect that the U.S. has provided nearly $293 in aid to Ukraine including the $186 million announced Tuesday.