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On Monday, December 30, U.S. President Joe Biden announced that the United States will provide Ukraine with nearly $2.5 billion in security assistance.
The White House shared Biden’s statement, in which he expressed pride in announcing this support as Ukraine continues to defend its independence and freedom against Russian aggression.
“Since Russia launched its renewed offensive in Ukraine in February 2022, the United States has united the world in support of the Ukrainian people, and my top priority is to provide Ukraine with the assistance it needs to prevail,” Biden emphasized.
The nearly $2.5 billion aid package includes:
- An additional $1.25 billion reduction in costs for the Ukrainian military.
- A $1.22 billion package under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI).
The statement noted that the U.S. Department of Defense has allocated all remaining USAI funds.
Additionally, Biden instructed his administration to continue delivering maximum support to Ukraine as quickly as possible, including decommissioning older American equipment, expediting battlefield delivery, and rebuilding the U.S. defense industrial base.
“Under my leadership, the United States will relentlessly work to bolster Ukraine’s position in this war for the remainder of my presidency,” Biden assured.
Recently, White House representative John Kirby stated that this package will include air defense systems for Ukraine.
The Pentagon suggested that the Biden administration is unlikely to exhaust all remaining funds allocated for Ukraine under the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), totaling $5.6 billion, which Congress approved for sending arms and military aid.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the Biden administration may not have enough time to deploy all approved military aid funds before the end of its term in January 2025. Some responsibilities may pass to Donald Trump’s team.
The Pentagon also acknowledged reaching the limit on monthly arms deliveries to Ukraine without compromising U.S. combat readiness and noted logistical challenges in shipments.
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