US ramps up Ukraine aid in Biden's final weeks with $6 bln package
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President Biden unveiled $2.5 billion in security assistance, including $1.25 billion in military aid sourced directly from US stockpiles and a $1.22 billion package under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI).
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President Joe Biden speaks about the death of former President Jimmy Carter on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, at the Company House Hotel in Christiansted, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. (AP)
The United States has pledged nearly $6 billion in additional military and financial support to Ukraine as President Joe Biden prepares to leave office. This substantial aid package, announced Monday, aims to strengthen Kiev's position against intensified Russian operations before President-elect Donald Trump takes power.
President Biden unveiled $2.5 billion in security assistance, including $1.25 billion in military aid sourced directly from US stockpiles and a $1.22 billion package under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI). Unlike immediate stockpile drawdowns, USAI funding procures equipment through defense industry partners, which can result in delayed delivery to the battlefield.
"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," Biden stated.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced an additional $3.4 billion in budgetary support, which she described as the final installment under the 2024 Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act.
These funds, coordinated with the US Agency for International Development and the State Department, will provide vital financial resources to Ukraine as it faces intensified attacks on critical infrastructure.
Read more: Kharkiv hit by intense ballistic missile barrage from Russia: Mayor
Advanced weaponry
The aid includes an array of advanced weaponry. Secretary of State Antony Blinken detailed the package, highlighting artillery ammunition for HIMARS systems, Javelin anti-tank weapons, TOW missiles, and counter-unmanned aerial systems (c-UAS) munitions.
Additional supplies include air-to-ground munitions, communication tools, training resources, and transportation support. The Pentagon also confirmed the inclusion of Stinger missiles, NASAMS air defense munitions, and drones.
"This additional assistance, provided under previous drawdowns from Department of Defense stocks, is valued at $1.25 billion," Blinken noted.
On a related note, White House spokesperson John Kirby claimed that DPRK troops fighting alongside Russian forces have suffered significant casualties, reporting 1,000 soldiers killed or wounded in the past week in Russia's Kursk region.
While Washington maintains that Russia has turned to DPRK forces to reinforce its frontline, no verified evidence of a DPRK military presence has been made public.
Russia, on its part, has criticized US arms supplies, arguing they undermine peace efforts and deepen NATO's involvement in the war.
Read more: Putin's proposed solutions to Ukraine crisis not preconditions: Lavrov
The United States has committed $175 billion in aid to Ukraine since Russia's special military operation began nearly three years ago. Biden noted that the latest assistance would offer both immediate battlefield support and long-term capabilities, including air defense systems and critical weaponry.
"These capabilities will continue to be used to great effect on the battlefield," Biden affirmed in his statement.
