The United States is providing nearly $2.5 billion in security assistance to Ukraine as the Biden administration accelerates military aid ahead of President-elect Donald J. Trump's inauguration.
This aid package will encompass air defense, artillery, and other essential weapon systems, as stated by President Biden on Monday morning.
“I’ve directed my administration to continue surging as much assistance to Ukraine as quickly as possible,” he remarked, adding that this includes utilizing older U.S. equipment, rapidly delivering it to the battlefield, and revitalizing the U.S. defense industrial base to modernize and replenish stockpiles with new weapons.
The assistance consists of $1.25 billion from existing Pentagon stockpiles, while an additional $1.22 billion will be sourced from the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which enables the procurement of military equipment from the defense industry or allies for delivery to Ukraine.
In a separate statement, Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen announced the release of $3.4 billion in additional budget aid to Ukraine. This support, provided through the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department, represents the final disbursement of funds appropriated under the bipartisan Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024. The Treasury statement noted that direct budget support is contingent upon reforms aimed at enhancing law enforcement, improving government transparency and efficiency, and strengthening anti-corruption measures.
This additional support comes amid apprehensions in Ukraine regarding potential cuts to military aid under the Trump administration. While Mr. Trump has pledged to swiftly end the war, he has not detailed how this would be achieved. Vice President-elect JD Vance has proposed a plan that would permit Russia to retain the Ukrainian territory it has seized.
The latest aid package is the largest sent by the United States to Ukraine since April, following a period of congressional approval for new aid after a months-long hold.
Pentagon officials indicated that the Biden administration is unlikely to fully utilize the remaining $5.6 billion allocated by Congress for military assistance to Ukraine before the transition to the Trump administration next month. The urgency of delivering the remaining funds to the battlefield is complicated by time constraints.
The $1.22 billion from the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative effectively exhausts the remaining funds in that program. However, even after the disbursement of $1.25 billion from Pentagon stockpiles, over $4 billion will still be available.
Russia has been engaged in warfare in Ukraine for nearly three years, with the conflict now extending into Russian territory. The White House reported last week that over 1,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed or injured while fighting alongside Russian troops in the Kursk region, with some opting for suicide rather than surrender.
The significant losses among North Korean troops, who began arriving in Russia this fall, represent nearly 10 percent of their deployment figures. This announcement reflects the U.S. effort to publicly criticize both Russian President Vladimir V. Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for deploying inadequately prepared forces to assist Russian military operations.
In August, Ukrainian forces made unexpected advances into Russian territory, marking a significant development in the ongoing conflict. This was the first instance in a decade of fighting that Ukrainian troops successfully captured and held Russian territory, including during Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.
While U.S. officials initially expressed doubts about the strategic value of Ukraine's incursion, some have revised their views, noting that Ukraine has effectively inflicted heavy casualties on Russian forces while sustaining relatively low losses themselves.