Biden administration accelerates weapons deliveries to Ukraine - CNN
Photo: US President Joe Biden (Getty Images)
The US is accelerating weapons shipments to Ukraine. The main goal of the US is to place Ukraine on a strong footing by 2025, CNN reports.
According to a senior US official, President Joe Biden's administration is working to increase arms shipments to Ukraine in the final days of its term.
These efforts sharply contrast with the policy of the incoming administration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who sharply criticized the recent US decision that allowed Ukraine to use American weapons to strike Russia, in an interview with Time magazine.
As part of its latest show of support for Ukraine, the Biden administration plans to announce a $500 million aid package in the coming days, which will allow equipment to be drawn from US military stockpiles. A senior US administration official told CNN that the White House is directing resources to ensure that before Biden leaves office, the previously announced weapons will be delivered to Kyiv.
“DoD is undertaking a historic effort to move massive quantities of weapons into Ukraine in the next five weeks. Between now and mid-January, we will deliver to Ukraine hundreds of thousands of artillery rounds, thousands of rockets, hundreds of armored vehicles, and other critical capabilities,” the senior Biden administration official said.
US assistance to Ukraine
US President Joe Biden will announce a new military aid package for Ukraine today, December 12.
The package is expected to include, among other things, air defense systems and artillery.
The last aid package was announced just on December 7, when the Biden administration revealed a $988 million defense assistance package for Ukraine.
Additionally, the Pentagon explained in the fall that it would be sending weapon shipments to Ukraine on a weekly basis. According to their statements, this is necessary to ensure that the remaining aid for Kyiv is delivered in a timely manner.
Pentagon spokesperson Patrick Ryder also mentioned that after the US Congress approved $60 billion in aid to Ukraine in April 2024, the US has already delivered 83% of the promised ammunition and 67% of the air defense systems to Ukraine.
