Reports from U.S. officials suggest that the United States is gearing up to send $1.25 billion in military support to Ukraine before the Biden administration transitions out of office on Jan. 20. This move underscores the urgency the U.S. is placing on assisting Kyiv in the face of ongoing tensions.
The aid package comprises a substantial quantity of arms, including support for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems and the HAWK air defense system. Additionally, it will involve the provision of Stinger missiles and various artillery rounds, according to officials familiar with the matter.
The officials, who said they expect the announcement to be made on Monday, spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public.
This latest assistance initiative comes at a critical juncture, with Russia ramping up attacks on Ukraine’s power infrastructure in recent times. Despite these hostilities, Ukraine has managed to thwart a significant portion of the missile and drone strikes. Moreover, there is ongoing conflict between Russian and Ukrainian forces near the border region of Kursk, where Russia has deployed North Korean troops in a bid to regain control of territory seized by Ukraine.
Earlier this month, senior defense officials acknowledged that that the Defense Department may not be able to send all of the remaining $5.6 billion in Pentagon weapons and equipment stocks passed by Congress for Ukraine before President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in.
Trump has talked about getting some type of negotiated settlement between Ukraine and Russia, and spoken about his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Many U.S. and European leaders are concerned that it might result in a poor deal for Ukraine and they worry that he won’t provide Ukraine with all the weapons funding approved by Congress.
The aid in the new package is in presidential drawdown authority, which allows the Pentagon to take weapons off the shelves and send them quickly to Ukraine. This latest assistance would reduce the remaining amount to about $4.35 billion.
Officials have said they hope that an influx of aid will help strengthen Ukraine’s hand, should Zelenskyy decide it’s time to negotiate.
One senior defense official said that while the U.S. will continue to provide weapons to Ukraine until Jan. 20, there may well be funds remaining that will be available for the incoming Trump administration to spend.
According to the Pentagon, there is also about $1.2 billion remaining in longer-term funding through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which is used to pay for weapons contracts that would not be delivered for a year or more. Officials have said the administration anticipates releasing all of that money before the end of the calendar year.
If the new package is included, the U.S. has provided more than $64 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022.
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