US announces nearly $1 billion in military aid for Ukraine

WASHINGTON — The United States on Saturday announced a new $988 million military assistance package for Ukraine as Washington races to provide aid to Kyiv before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

It nearly halves the available $2.21 billion remaining in Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) as the Biden administration works to commit to buying weapons from industry, rather than pull from U.S. weapons stocks.

Trump’s victory in the November election has cast doubt on the future of American aid for Ukraine, providing a limited window for billions of dollars in already authorized assistance to be provided before he is sworn in next month.

The package features drones, ammunition for precision HIMARS rocket launchers, and equipment and spare parts for artillery systems, tanks and armored vehicles, the Pentagon said in a statement.

The Biden administration has often used Presidential Drawdown Authority, which authorizes President Joe Biden to transfer excess articles and services from U.S. stocks without congressional approval during an emergency.

The USAI funds are separate and will go to purchase new weapons from the defense industry or partners rather than drawn from American stocks, meaning it will not immediately arrive on the battlefield.

It follows a $725 million package announced Monday that included a second tranche of landmines as well as anti-air and anti-armor weapons.

The outgoing U.S. administration is working to get as much aid as possible to Ukraine before Trump — who has repeatedly criticized U.S. assistance for Kyiv and claimed he could secure a ceasefire within hours — takes over.

Trump’s comments have triggered fears in Kyiv and Europe about the future of U.S. aid, and Ukraine’s ability to withstand Russian attacks in the absence of further American support.

The United States has spearheaded the push for international support for Ukraine, quickly forging a coalition to back Kyiv after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022 and coordinating aid from dozens of countries.

Ukraine’s international supporters have since then provided tens of billions of dollars in weapons, ammunition, training and other security aid that has been key to helping Kyiv resist Russian forces.

The Biden administration still has about $6 billion of congressionally granted presidential drawdown authority, including funds authorized in 2024 and funds discovered by the Pentagon after overestimating the value of arms shipped to Ukraine.

Since the Russian invasion in February 2022 the U.S. has committed more than $62 billion worth of security assistance to Ukraine.

By Agence France-Presse

Some material in this report is from Reuters.