The United States on Saturday announced a new $988 million military assistance package for Ukraine in its war against Russia, as Washington rushes to provide aid to kyiv before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.
Trump’s victory in the November election has cast doubt on the future of US aid to Ukraineproviding a limited window for billions of dollars in already authorized aid to be delivered before he is sworn in next month.
The package includes drones, ammunition for HIMARS precision rocket launchers, as well as equipment and spare parts for artillery systems, tanks and armored vehicles, the Pentagon said in a statement.
The aid will be funded through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, under which military equipment is purchased from the defense industry or partners rather than from U.S. stockpiles, meaning they will not immediately arrive on the battlefield.
This follows a $725 million program announced Monday that included a second tranche of landmines as well as anti-aircraft and anti-armor weapons.
The outgoing Biden administration is working to get as much aid to Ukraine as possible before Trump – who has repeatedly criticized US aid to kyiv – begins his second term in the White House in January .
He also comes the same day as Trump held a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron after his trip to Paris to attend the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral following its extensive renovation following the 2019 fire.
Details of what happened at the meeting were not immediately known.
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Trump’s comments sparked fears in kyiv and Europe about the future of U.S. aid and Ukraine’s ability to resist Russian attacks in the absence of additional U.S. support.
The United States has spearheaded the campaign of international support for Ukraine, quickly forging a coalition to support kyiv after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022 and coordinating aid from dozens of countries.
Ukraine’s international supporters have since provided tens of billions of dollars in weapons, munitions, training and other security aid, which have been key to helping kyiv resist Russian forces.
Last month, President Biden restrictions lifted which allow Ukraine to use long-range weapons supplied by the United States to strike deep into Russian territory, marking a significant shift in American policy in the war.
The Biden administration also began the process of supplying Ukraine in November. with controversial antipersonnel mines which are designed for use against people and not against vehicles.
