The Biden administration announced Monday its final weapons and aid package to Ukraine before President-elect Trump is set to take the reins in Washington.
The White House announced a $1.25 billion drawdown package for the Ukrainian military and a $1.22 billion package through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which is used to pay for weapons contracts that would not be delivered for at least a year, according to The Associated Press.
The military package includes a range of munitions, including Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems munitions; air defense munitions; ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems; 155 mm and 105 mm artillery ammunition; air-to-ground munitions; Javelin and AT-4 anti-armor systems and other weapons and equipment.
“Since Russia launched its further assault against Ukraine in February 2022, the United States has rallied the world to stand with the Ukrainian people, and it has been a top priority of mine to provide Ukraine with the support it needs to prevail,” President Biden said in a statement announcing the aid.
He added that the additional assistance “will provide Ukraine with both an immediate influx of capabilities that it continues to use to great effect on the battlefield and longer-term supplies of air defense, artillery, and other critical weapons systems.”
Biden said he has directed his administration to “to continue surging as much assistance to Ukraine as quickly as possible” before he leaves office.
“The 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,” Biden said. “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.”
Also on Monday, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced the disbursement of $3.4 billion in direct budget support for Ukraine, marking the final package from the bipartisan Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2024.
“Our direct budget support continues to be conditioned on reforms related to strengthening law enforcement, improving transparency and efficiency of government institutions, and bolstering anti-corruption rules and procedures,” Yellen said in her statement.
