In the final days of President Biden’s administration, the United States has announced nearly $1bn in additional military aid to Ukraine to help bolster its defences against Russia’s invasion. This aid package follows a previous $725m in military assistance announced earlier in December. The US has provided a total of $62bn in military aid to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in 2022.
The timing of this aid has raised questions about whether President-elect Trump’s administration will continue to support Ukraine. Trump has previously expressed a willingness to pull funding from Ukraine and NATO. Secretary of Defense Austin has emphasized the importance of supporting Ukraine and highlighted the bipartisan coalition in Congress that has backed this aid.
The Biden administration has been using presidential drawdown authority to provide Ukraine with excess defence materials. However, the latest aid package comes from the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, allowing for the purchase of weapons and supplies to strengthen Ukraine’s military capabilities.
Meanwhile, Trump has criticized Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy for extracting military aid from the US, and has expressed his intention to pursue an “America First” policy during his second term. The future of US support for Ukraine remains uncertain as the transition of power from Biden to Trump approaches.
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