Biden Announces $2.5 Billion in Military Aid for Ukraine

RKS NEWS
RKS NEWS 2 Min Read
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U.S. President Joe Biden announced a new $2.5 billion military aid package for Ukraine on Monday.

In his final weeks in office, Biden is increasing military support for Kyiv ahead of the inauguration of elected President Donald Trump on January 20.

“Under my leadership, the United States will continue to work tirelessly to strengthen Ukraine’s position in this war during my remaining time in office,” Biden said in a statement.

The new aid includes $1.25 billion in military assistance from U.S. reserves and a $1.22 billion package from the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI). This is the latest package from USAI under Biden’s administration.

According to USAI, military equipment is purchased from the defense industry or partners, rather than from U.S. reserves, which means it can take months or even years for these supplies to reach the battlefield.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is entering its third year, and recently Russian forces have used North Korean troops to reinforce their fighting positions.

North Korean forces have suffered significant losses on the front lines of Russia’s war against Ukraine, with 1,000 of their soldiers killed or wounded in just the past week in the Kursk region of Russia, White House spokesperson John Kirby said on Friday.

In a statement, Biden said the new aid would provide Ukraine with “an immediate flow of weapons that it is using with great impact on the battlefield, as well as long-term supplies for air defense, artillery, and other critical weapon systems.”

Since the war began in 2022, Washington has provided Ukraine with $175 billion in total aid, but it is now uncertain whether this level of support will continue under Trump’s leadership, who will replace Biden on January 20.

Trump has stated that he wants to end the war quickly. During his presidential campaign, Trump questioned the level of U.S. involvement in the conflict, suggesting that European allies should take on a larger share of the financial burden.

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