The United States introduced almost $6 billion in army and price range assist for Ukraine on Monday, aiming to ship help forward of Donald Trump’s inauguration subsequent month.
The imminent return of Trump, who has repeatedly criticized assist for Ukraine, has solid doubt on American help persevering with at comparable ranges as below the outgoing President Joe Biden.
With Trump’s swearing in simply three weeks away, solely a restricted time window remained for billions of {dollars} in already approved help 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 mentioned in an announcement.
The bundle features a $1.25 billion army “drawdown,” which permits the Pentagon to take weapons from U.S. shares and ship them shortly to the battlefield.
An further $1.22 billion might be funded by way of the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, below which army tools is procured from the protection business or companions.
The newest drawdown contains drones, ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), optically guided missiles, anti-tank weapons programs, air-to-ground munitions and spare elements, in keeping with the U.S. State Department.
The Treasury Department in the meantime introduced the disbursement of $3.4 billion in direct budgetary help for Ukraine.
Biden mentioned his administration has now allotted all of the Ukraine assist cash appropriated by Congress within the spring of this 12 months after arduous negotiations.
The president mentioned he ordered his administration to maintain sending Ukraine as a lot army assist as attainable, together with older U.S. tools and speeding 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 mentioned in an announcement.
‘Peace in 2025’?
As Ukraine heads into winter, the Pentagon is delivering artillery rounds, rockets and armored automobiles, Biden mentioned.
“The United States and more than 50 nations stand united to ensure Ukraine has the capabilities it needs to defend itself against Russia’s aggression,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the help got here at a essential second as Russia intensifies its assaults, “even resorting to involving North Korean soldiers and continuing to receive weapons from North Korea and Iran.”
The Ukrainian chief additionally known as on Kyiv’s Western backers to proceed boosting his nation’s defenses in a bid to safe an finish to the battle subsequent 12 months.
“We must continue moving toward peace through strength to achieve our common goal of peace in 2025 – a goal shared by Ukraine and all its partners,” Zelenskyy mentioned in a social media publish.
The newest U.S. help for Ukraine follows an announcement at the start of the month of a virtually $1 billion tranche of drones, ammunition and tools.
The outgoing Biden administration is working to get as a lot assist as attainable to Ukraine earlier than Trump takes workplace on Jan. 20.
Trump has usually spoken admiringly of Russian President Vladimir Putin and asserted that he himself can finish the battle in a day, with out saying how.
This has prompted fears that the United States will impose war-ending phrases dictated by Russia.
Source: www.dailysabah.com