US Unveils New $988 Million Military Aid Package for Ukraine

December 7, 2024 TruthUSA

Funding provided through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative will assist in acquiring ammunition for HIMARS rocket launchers and drones.

On December 7, the U.S. Department of Defense announced a new funding package of $988 million aimed at strengthening Ukrainian forces in the ongoing conflict with Russia.

This military assistance package is part of the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), a program by the Pentagon dedicated to procuring new military equipment.

A statement from the Pentagon revealed that this latest support will finance ammunition for the Western-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS). Additionally, the funding will also be allocated for purchasing further unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and spare parts for various artillery systems, tanks, and armored vehicles.

The Pentagon indicated that this is the 22nd funding package provided to Ukraine by President Joe Biden’s administration through USAI.

“The United States remains committed to collaborating with approximately 50 allies and partners through the Ukraine Defense Contact Group and its associated capability coalitions to deliver necessary support for Ukraine to prevail in the war,” noted the Pentagon.

This announcement of new funding comes just days after the Biden administration revealed a separate $725 million military aid package under the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA).

The PDA functions as a distinct authority that the Biden administration has employed to assist Ukraine throughout the conflict. Instead of allocating funding, the PDA enables the president to directly provide foreign recipients with weapons sourced from U.S. stockpiles, with the PDA account managing the costs for replacing the departing weapons.

The Biden administration is actively working to dispatch as much assistance to Ukraine as possible before the end of the president’s term in January.

President-elect Donald Trump, who will succeed Biden, has expressed a desire to negotiate an end to the conflict, though the framework for a ceasefire agreement is yet unclear. There are ongoing inquiries about whether Trump would continue to provide weapons and funding to Ukraine while pursuing negotiations.

Since Trump’s November 5 election win, the Biden administration has disclosed several drawdowns under the PDA. Furthermore, the administration has agreed to supply Ukrainian forces with anti-personnel landmines, reversing its previous position against such weapons.

Additionally, the Pentagon has confirmed it will initiate contracting specialists to assist Ukrainian forces in maintaining their military equipment. The Pentagon highlighted that these American contractors will not operate on or near the front lines but will work in the background to repair equipment needing specialized technical support.

Despite the Biden administration ramping up support, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed his openness to concluding the war.

Recently, the Ukrainian leader indicated a willingness to agree to “stop the hot phase of the war” if NATO extends its alliance membership to the parts of Ukraine currently not under Russian control. Additionally, Zelenskyy suggested that Ukraine could later negotiate for the return of pre-war territory now controlled by Russia.

In a recent interview, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that Russia remains firmly opposed to Ukrainian NATO membership.

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