President Joe Biden announced on Monday that the United States will provide an additional $2.5 billion in military and economic assistance to Ukraine as part of the ongoing effort to bolster its defense against Russia. The new aid package comes as the Biden administration races to use available funds before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on January 20.
The military aid includes $1.25 billion in presidential drawdown authority, which allows the U.S. military to quickly supply weapons directly from its existing stockpiles. The package also includes $1.22 billion in longer-term assistance through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), which places contracts for weapons and equipment to be delivered over time.
Biden emphasized his commitment to supporting Ukraine, stating, “I’ve directed my administration to continue surging as much assistance to Ukraine as quickly as possible. 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.”
In addition to military support, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced $3.4 billion in economic aid for Ukraine. This funding is aimed at ensuring Ukraine can continue to provide critical government services, including paying salaries for civilian government workers, healthcare employees, and first responders amid the ongoing conflict with Russia.
The new military aid comes as Russia has intensified its attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, targeting power facilities with missile and drone strikes. Despite the attacks, Ukraine has reported intercepting a significant number of the incoming projectiles. Meanwhile, fighting continues in the Russian border region of Kursk, where both Russian and Ukrainian forces remain engaged in a bitter struggle, with Russia reportedly deploying North Korean troops to help reclaim territory.
The Biden administration is working to secure Ukraine’s position before Trump’s inauguration, with many leaders expressing concern about his rhetoric on potential negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. Trump has called for a negotiated settlement and has previously praised Russian President Vladimir Putin, raising fears among U.S. and European officials that a potential settlement could be unfavorable for Ukraine. There is also worry that Trump may not provide the full level of military support previously authorized by Congress.
The latest weapons package includes a variety of systems such as counter-unmanned aerial systems, air defense munitions, ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), artillery rounds, anti-armor systems, and more.
With this latest aid, the U.S. has now provided over $65 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
