The final military aid package from the Biden administration to Ukraine, amounting to $500 million, is set to be officially announced on Jan. 9, Voice of America correspondent Carla Babb reported on Jan. 8 from Ramstein Air Base.
The package, drawn from the Pentagon’s existing stockpile under the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) program, is expected to be the last from the outgoing administration before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20.
Despite previous commitments to exhaust the remaining PDA funds, approximately $3.8 billion will remain unused, according to the Pentagon, leaving the funds at the disposal of the incoming administration.
Trump and his team have been vocal critics of U.S. financial support for Ukraine. Michael Waltz, Trump’s incoming National Security Advisor, said on Dec. 15 that "a blank check... just isn’t a strategy."
In a Jan. 5 interview with podcaster Lex Fridman, President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated Ukraine’s willingness to work with the incoming U.S. administration. He proposed that Ukraine purchase U.S. weapons using $300 billion in frozen Russian assets.
Despite previously criticizing U.S. aid for Ukraine, the Financial Times reported on Dec. 21, citing undisclosed sources, that Trump may not halt U.S. military support for Ukraine.
While Zelensky remains committed to pursuing a diplomatic resolution by 2025, the incoming Trump administration’s approach to the conflict and its impact on military aid remains unclear.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
(Updated: )
