U.S. President Joe Biden announced a new security assistance package for Ukraine worth nearly $2.5 billion on Dec. 30.
The package includes a $1.25 billion "drawdown package" of military equipment for Ukraine and $1.22 billion under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), a Pentagon-led program that procures arms for Ukraine through contracts with U.S. defense companies.
According to a White House statement, the resources will provide both immediate and long-term military support, including air defense systems, artillery, and other critical weaponry.
"As I committed earlier this year, the Department of Defense has now allocated all remaining USAI funds appropriated by Congress in the supplemental that I signed in April, and my Administration is fully utilizing the funding appropriated by Congress to support the drawdown of U.S. equipment for Ukraine," Biden said in the statement.
"I’ve directed my Administration to continue surging as much assistance to Ukraine as quickly as possible — including drawing down older U.S. equipment for Ukraine, rapidly delivering it to the battlefield, and then revitalizing the U.S. defense industrial base to modernize and replenish our stockpiles with new weapons," he added.
The announcement comes just weeks before Donald Trump takes office next month.
Trump’s support for Ukraine hangs in the air as analysts and politicians try to gauge his plans to bring peace to Ukraine, as he promised to end the war within "24 hours" after reelection without revealing details.
Under the Biden administration, the U.S. provided more than $60 billion in military aid to Ukraine.
According to the statement, the U.S. Department of Defense "is in the process of delivering hundreds of thousands of artillery rounds, thousands of rockets, and hundreds of armored vehicles which will strengthen Ukraine’s hand as it heads into the winter."
"At my direction, the United States will continue to work relentlessly to strengthen Ukraine’s position in this war over the remainder of my time in office," Biden said.
Francis Farrell
(Updated: )
