White House announces nearly $1 billion more in military assistance to Ukraine
The United States on Saturday announced a new $988 million military aid package for Ukraine’s war with Russia, as Washington races to provide aid to Kiev. President-elect Donald Trump takes office.
Trump’s victory in the November election cast doubt on the future of the United States. U.S. aid to Ukraineproviding a limited window to deliver billions of dollars in authorized aid before he is sworn in next month.
The package includes drones, ammunition for the sophisticated HIMARS rocket launcher and equipment and spare parts for artillery systems, tanks and armored vehicles, the Pentagon said in a statement.
The aid will be funded through the Ukraine Security Assistance Program, under which military equipment is procured from the defense industry or partners rather than drawn from U.S. inventories, meaning the equipment will not reach the battlefield immediately.
This follows the announcement on Monday of a $725 million package that includes a second tranche of mines as well as anti-aircraft and anti-armor weapons.
The outgoing Biden administration is working to get as much aid to Ukraine as possible before Trump begins his second term in the White House in January. Trump has repeatedly criticized U.S. aid to Kiev.
Here too On the same day Trump took office held a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky French President Emmanuel Macron traveled to Paris to attend the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral, which underwent extensive renovations after a fire in 2019.
The details of what happened during the meeting are unclear.
Ludovic Marin/Pool/AFP via Getty Images
Trump’s comments raised concerns in Kyiv and Europe about the future of U.S. aid and Ukraine’s ability to fend off Russian attacks without further U.S. support.
The United States has led the push for international support for Ukraine, quickly forming a coalition in support of Kyiv after Russia launched a full-scale invasion in 2022 and coordinating aid from dozens of countries.
Ukraine’s international backers have since provided tens of billions of dollars in weapons, ammunition, training and other security assistance that have been critical in helping Kyiv resist Russian forces.
Last month, President Biden Lift restrictions Allowing Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied long-range weapons deep into Russian territory would mark a major shift in U.S. policy in the war.
The Biden administration also began the process of supplying supplies to Ukraine in November Controversial anti-personnel landmines It’s designed for people, not vehicles.
