Russia on Wednesday flew 60 tons of medical equipment and masks to the U.S. in an effort to help fight the coronavirus pandemic, as confirmed cases in the states top 200,000 — more than any other country in the world.
The transport of extra supplies came just two days after a phone call between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin about ways to combat the rapid spread of the virus.
A U.S. official confirmed the shipment to Reuters, adding that the gesture was “a direct result of the phone conversation.”
The Russian military transport plane took off from Moscow early Wednesday, carrying 60 tons of ventilators, masks, respirators and additional medical equipment, the official said. The equipment will be inspected by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration before being sent to hospitals.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state media that Mr. Trump “gratefully accepted this humanitarian aid.”
