The United States will provide nearly USD 1 billion in long-term weapons support to Ukraine, defence secretary Lloyd Austin announced on Saturday.
The Biden administration is expediting the spending of remaining congressionally approved funds to support Kyiv before President-elect Donald Trump assumes office. The new package includes drones and HIMARS munitions, funded through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative for future military capabilities.
A separate USD 725 million military aid package, announced on Monday, comprises counter-drone systems and HIMARS munitions from Pentagon stockpiles for immediate battlefield deployment. Since Russia’s February 2022 invasion, US military aid to Ukraine has exceeded USD 62 billion.
Austin acknowledged the upcoming transition, stating “The baton will soon be passed”. Ukraine currently faces increased Russian aggression, including North Korean troops in the Kursk region and regular strikes on civilian infrastructure using intermediate-range ballistic missiles.
“The engine of our efforts has been the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, which first met in April 2022 at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. And the Contact Group has helped ensure that Ukraine has what it needs to defend itself—and to forge a future force to deter more Russian aggression,” he said.
“And I’ve convened the Contact Group 24 times now. Its other members have committed more than $57 billion in direct security assistance to Ukraine. And as a percentage of GDP, more than a dozen Contact Group members now provide more security assistance to Ukraine than the United States does. And together, we have helped Ukraine survive an all-out assault by the largest military in Europe,” he added.
The Biden administration is utilising all remaining funds from a recent foreign aid bill to strengthen Ukraine’s position. At the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library gathering, Austin addressed defence officials and lawmakers, discussing the administration’s commitment to Ukraine.
Meanwhile, US President-elect Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and French President Macron in Paris during Notre Dame Cathedral’s reopening. European leaders are seeking Trump’s continued support for Ukraine, despite his previous admiration for Putin and criticism of US aid.