WASHINGTON – The United States on Monday announced $6 billion in additional military and budget aid to Ukraine, as President Joe Biden uses his final weeks in office to surge aid to Kiev before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Announced nearby.
Biden announced $2.5 billion in additional security assistance to Ukraine.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the United States has provided $3.4 billion in additional budget aid to Ukraine, giving the war-torn country critical resources as Russia's attacks on civilians and infrastructure intensify. Ta.
“Following my direction, the United States will continue to work relentlessly during the remainder of my term to strengthen Ukraine's position in this war,” Biden said in a statement.
Biden's announcement included $1.25 billion in military aid drawn from the U.S. stockpile and a $1.22 billion Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) package, the last USAI package of Biden's tenure. Included.
Under USAI, military equipment is sourced from the defense industry and partners rather than from U.S. inventories and can take months or years to arrive on the battlefield.
Yellen said in a statement that the direct budget support, provided in conjunction with the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Department of State, constitutes the final expenditure under the Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2024.
The U.S. Congress has approved a total of $175 billion in aid to Ukraine since Russia invaded the country nearly three years ago. Recently, Russia has been using North Korea's military to strengthen its combat readiness.
North Korean troops have suffered heavy casualties on the front lines of Russia's war against Ukraine, with 1,000 North Korean soldiers killed or injured in Russia's Kursk region alone in the last week, White House Press Secretary John Kirby said. said Friday.
Biden said the new aid would give Ukraine “an immediate influx of capabilities and a long-term supply of air defense, artillery and other critical weapons systems that will continue to be highly effective on the battlefield.”
Nearly three years after the war began, the U.S. government has pledged billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine, but it remains to be seen whether aid will continue at that pace under the Trump administration, which will be succeeded by Biden on January 20. It's opaque.
President Trump has said he wants to end the war quickly.
During his presidential campaign, President Trump questioned the extent of U.S. involvement in the conflict and suggested European allies should shoulder more of the financial burden.
Some of his Republican colleagues, who will control the House and Senate majorities starting next month, have also balked at sending more aid to Kiev.
U.S. officials said the $3.4 billion in budget funding brings total U.S. budget aid to Ukraine to just over $30 billion since the Russian invasion in February 2022.
Most of these funds are used to keep the Ukrainian government running by paying salaries to teachers and other state employees.
Separately, the United States has provided about $61.4 billion in security assistance to Kiev since the war began, according to the Pentagon.
Biden said the Pentagon is deploying hundreds of thousands of artillery shells, thousands of rockets and hundreds of armored vehicles, which will “strengthen Ukraine's hand going into winter.” .
Yellen warned against moves to cut funding, saying continued economic support for Ukraine is critical to maintaining government services and continuing to protect its sovereignty.
“Ukraine's success is in America's core national interests,” he said, vowing to continue to pressure Russia with sanctions and help put Ukraine in a position to achieve a just peace.
“We must not back down in this effort.”
