Austin to announce $500 mln in weapons to Ukraine
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The US has provided around $66.5 billion in military assistance to Ukraine since the war began.
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US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin arrives at Camp Asaka on the outskirts of Tokyo on December 11, 2024. (AP)
The United States is ready to give Ukraine an extra $500 million in weaponry, drawn from existing US stockpiles, according to senior officials who talked to Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss specifics not yet made public.
The package's release is scheduled on Thursday, coinciding with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's travel to Germany, where he will meet with leaders from over 50 partner nations who have joined in support of Ukraine since the war began in 2022, according to senior defense officials.
The military aid, approved under presidential drawdown authority, enables the rapid delivery of weapons and equipment from US stockpiles to Ukraine. A senior defense official who briefed reporters traveling with Austin said the aim was to get those weapons into Ukraine by the end of the month, maintaining Ukraine's position as the administration transitioned.
The US has provided around $66.5 billion in military assistance to Ukraine since the war began.
While considerable, the package will not drain the almost $4 billion in congressionally authorized financing for Ukraine. Defense officials have stated that "more than a couple of billion dollars" will likely be left for the new government to use as it sees fit.
The Biden administration has accelerated roughly $6 billion in military and economic help for Ukraine in anticipation of the new administration. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen recently announced $3.4 billion in economic help to keep Ukraine's government, schools, and emergency services running, as well as $2.5 billion in security aid to meet pressing defense demands.
While defense officials indicated there are ongoing negotiations with Trump's transition team to guarantee continuity in handling Ukrainian concerns, it is uncertain how much military help Trump would provide to Kiev.
Trump, who has criticized the Biden administration's spending billions of dollars to support Ukraine, has stated that if he were at the negotiating table with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the war between the two countries would end "within 24 hours," raising concerns that he would press Zelensky to surrender the territory that Russia currently occupies.
