US to provide Ukraine with $275 mln in military aid before Trump's inauguration

According to the media, "the Biden administration rushes to do as much as it can" to help Kyiv defend itself against Russia before newly elected President Donald Trump takes office.

"The latest tranche of weapons comes as worries grow about an escalation in the conflict, with both sides pushing to gain any advantage that they can exploit if Trump demands a quick end to the war — as he has vowed to do," the journalists noted.

The new aid package to Ukraine includes air defense systems, including highly mobile artillery rocket systems (HIMARS), as well as 155mm and 105mm artillery shells, Javelin anti-tank munitions, and other equipment and spare parts.

In response to a question about whether the department can do this by January 20, when Trump takes office, Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said officials are working to ensure Ukraine gets what it needs.

"We are committed to using that full authority that Congress has allotted to us. The only way we can do that also is to make sure that our shelves are fully backfilled and stocked. So as our shelves continue to get stocked with equipment and capabilities that are needed, we draw down from those and send those to Ukraine," she said.

In addition to the Pentagon’s weapons, the State Department announced on Tuesday that it had authorized the sale of unspecified defense equipment and services to Ukraine worth $100 million, including vehicle repairs, technical assistance, training, and "other related elements of logistics and program support."

According to two senior administration officials, as part of broader efforts to support Ukraine, the administration also intends to disperse its share of the $50 billion loan to Ukraine, secured by frozen Russian assets, before Biden leaves the White House.