Biden announces nearly $2.5 billion in military aid for Ukraine

President Joe Biden stated Monday that the USA will ship practically $2.5 billion extra in weapons to Ukraine as his administration works shortly to spend all the cash it has accessible to assist Kyiv combat off Russia earlier than President-elect Donald Trump takes workplace.

The bundle consists of $1.25 billion in presidential drawdown authority, which permits the navy to tug present inventory from its cabinets and get weapons to the battlefield quicker. It additionally has $1.22 billion in longer-term weapons packages to be placed on contract by means of the separate Ukraine Safety Help Initiative, or USAI.

Biden stated all longer-term USAI funds have now been spent and that he seeks to completely use all of the remaining drawdown cash earlier than leaving workplace.

“I’ve directed my administration to proceed surging as a lot help to Ukraine as shortly as doable,” Biden stated in an announcement. “At my route, the USA will proceed to work relentlessly to strengthen Ukraine’s place on this conflict over the rest of my time in workplace.”

Along with the weapons help, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen introduced Monday that the U.S. can also be offering $3.4 billion in financial help to Ukraine to assist pay for crucial authorities providers throughout its ongoing combat towards Russia. The cash pays salaries for civilian authorities and college workers, well being care staff and first responders.

The brand new navy help comes as Russia has launched a barrage of assaults towards Ukraine’s energy services in current days, though Ukraine has stated it intercepted a big variety of the missiles and drones. Russian and Ukrainian forces are additionally nonetheless in a bitter battle across the Russian border area of Kursk, the place Moscow has despatched 1000’s of North Korean troops to assist reclaim territory taken by Ukraine.

The Biden administration is pushing to get weapons into Ukraine to present Kyiv the strongest negotiating place doable earlier than Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20. Trump has talked about getting some kind of negotiated settlement between Ukraine and Russia and has praised Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Many U.S. and European leaders are involved that Trump’s discuss of a settlement may end in a poor deal for Ukraine, and so they fear that he gained’t present Ukraine with all of the weapons funding accredited by Congress.

The weapons techniques being pulled from present stockpiles by means of this newest weapons bundle embody counter-unmanned aerial techniques munitions, air protection munitions, ammunition for Excessive Mobility Artillery Rocket Programs (HIMARS), 155mm and 105mm artillery ammunition, air-to-ground munitions, anti-armor techniques, tube-launched missiles, fragmentation grenades and different objects and spare elements.

Together with Monday’s announcement, the U.S. has supplied greater than $65 billion in safety help to Ukraine since Russia invaded its neighbor in February 2022.