US Announces $5.9bn In Military, Budget Aid For Ukraine

The United States has announced $5.9 billion in military and budget aid for Ukraine, as Washington races to provide assistance before US president-elect, Donald Trump, takes office next month.

The return of Trump, who has consistently faulted aid for Ukraine, has cast doubt on American support continuing at similar levels as under outgoing President, Joe Biden.

With the swearing in of Trump in just three weeks away, only a limited time window remained for billions of dollars in already authorized assistance to be disbursed.

“Today, I am proud to announce nearly $2.5 billion in security assistance for Ukraine, as the Ukrainian people continue to defend their independence and freedom from Russian aggression,” Biden said in a statement.

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The package includes a $1.25 billion military drawdown, which allows the Pentagon to take weapons from US stocks and send them quickly to the battlefield.

An additional $1.22 billion will be funded via the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, under which military equipment is procured from the defense industry or partners.

According to the US State Department, the latest drawdown includes drones, ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, HIMARS, optically guided missiles, anti-tank weapons systems, air-to-ground munitions and spare parts.

The Treasury Department meanwhile announced the disbursement of $3.4 billion in direct budgetary support for Ukraine.

The outgoing said his administration has now allocated all the Ukraine aid money appropriated by Congress in the spring of this year after arduous negotiations.

He added that he has ordered his administration to keep sending Ukraine as much military aid as possible, including older US equipment, and rushing it to the battlefield as Ukraine loses territory to the Russian troops that invaded in February 2022.

“Together with the security assistance America is providing Ukraine and Treasury’s actions to further tighten sanctions on Russia’s war machine, we will continue to do everything in our power to position Ukraine to achieve a just peace,” Treasury Secretary, Janet Yellen said in a statement.