Washington provides Kiev with $82 bln in aid since crisis broke out - U.S. under secretary of commerce

MOSCOW. July 29 (Interfax) - Washington has provided Ukraine with $82 billion in aid since the beginning of the crisis, United States Under Secretary of Commerce Marisa Lago said at a press briefing in Kiev on Friday, as Ukrainian media reported.

The U.S. "will be with Ukraine every step of the way," Lago said. Lago said that for her team at the Department of Commerce and the International Trade Administration an unwavering commitment to Ukraine means connecting U.S. companies to pressing needs right now, especially in the defense and energy sectors.

"Supporting Ukraine is more than simply the right thing to do. It is an investment in transatlantic security and the democratic values that we all hold dearly," Lago said.