US Announces Nearly $1bn In New Military Aid For Ukraine

The United States has unveiled a fresh $988 million security assistance package for Ukraine, as Washington works to send aid to Kyiv before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

Trump’s November election victory placed doubt on the future of American aid to Ukraine, leaving a narrow window for billions of dollars in already authorized assistance to be delivered before he is inaugurated in next month.

The shipment includes drones, ammunition for precision HIMARS rocket launchers, and equipment and spare parts for artillery systems, tanks, and armored vehicles, according to a Pentagon statement.

According to the US, the aid will be provided through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which means that military hardware will not be deployed right once because it is purchased from partners or the defense sector rather than American supplies.

The assistance follows a $725 million package that was unveiled on Monday and contained anti-air and anti-armour weapons along with a second tranche of landmines.

Before Trump, who has frequently criticized US assistance for Kyiv and asserted that he could achieve a ceasefire within hours, takes over, the departing US administration is trying to provide as much aid to Ukraine as possible.

Trump’s remarks have raised concerns in Kyiv and Europe about the future of US aid and Ukraine’s ability to withstand Russian attacks in the absence of ongoing American support.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned on Saturday that failure to continue opposing Russia’s activities would result in catastrophic consequences.

“We can continue to stand up to the Kremlin. Or we can let (Russian President Vladimir) Putin have his way — and condemn our children and grandchildren to live in a world of chaos and conflict,” Austin told the Reagan National Defense Forum in California.

“This administration has made its choice. And so has a bipartisan coalition in Congress. The next administration must make its own choice.”

“Here is the stark military fact: our allies and partners are huge force multipliers,” Austin said.

“Ultimately, America is weaker when it stands alone. And America is smaller when it stands apart,” he said. “There is no such thing as a safe retreat from today’s interwoven world.”