US to send $1.25 billion in weapons to Ukraine, pushing to get aid out before Biden leaves office

US to send .25 billion in weapons to Ukraine, pushing to get aid out before Biden leaves office


WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States is expected to announce that it will send $1.25 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, U.S. officials said Friday, as the Biden administration pushes to get as much aid to Kyiv as possible before leaving office on Jan. 20.

The large package of aid includes a significant amount of munitions, including for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems and the HAWK air defense system. It also will provide Stinger missiles and 155 mm- and 105 mm artillery rounds, officials said.

The officials, who said they expect the announcement to be made on Monday, spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public.

The new aid comes as Russia has launched a barrage of attacks against Ukraine’s power facilities in recent days, although Ukraine has said it intercepted a significant number of the missiles and drones. Russian and Ukrainian forces are also still in a bitter battle around the Russian border region of Kursk, where Moscow has sent thousands of North Korean troops to help reclaim territory taken by Ukraine.

Earlier this month, senior defense officials acknowledged that that the Defense Department may not be able to send all of the remaining $5.6 billion in Pentagon weapons and equipment stocks passed by Congress for Ukraine before President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in.

Trump has talked about getting some type of negotiated settlement between Ukraine and Russia, and spoken about his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Many U.S. and European leaders are concerned that it might result in a poor deal for Ukraine and they worry that he won’t provide Ukraine with all the weapons funding approved by Congress.

Ukraine war is entering an 'end-game phase,' TS Lombard expert says

The aid in the new package is in presidential drawdown authority, which allows the Pentagon to take weapons off the shelves and send them quickly to Ukraine. This latest assistance would reduce the remaining amount to about $4.35 billion.

Officials have said they hope that an influx of aid will help strengthen Ukraine’s hand, should Zelenskyy decide it’s time to negotiate.

One senior defense official said that while the U.S. will continue to provide weapons to Ukraine until Jan. 20, there may well be funds remaining that will be available for the incoming Trump administration to spend.

According to the Pentagon, there is also about $1.2 billion remaining in longer-term funding through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which is used to pay for weapons contracts that would not be delivered for a year or more. Officials have said the administration anticipates releasing all of that money before the end of the calendar year.

If the new package is included, the U.S. has provided more than $64 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022.



Source

Trump says Israel must stop bombing Gaza immediately
Politics

Trump says Israel must stop bombing Gaza immediately

Smoke rises during an Israeli military operation in Gaza City, as seen from the central Gaza Strip September 29, 2025. Mahmoud Issa | Reuters President Donald Trump said on Friday Israel must stop bombing Gaza immediately and that he believes Hamas is ready for peace after an earlier statement by the Palestinian militant group. Hamas […]

Read More
Treasury weighs minting  coin with Trump’s face for U.S. 250th anniversary
Politics

Treasury weighs minting $1 coin with Trump’s face for U.S. 250th anniversary

A “draft” from The Treasury Department of a $1 commemorative coin that it plans to mint next year. Courtesy: U.S. Treasury Department The Treasury Department is considering minting a $1 coin bearing President Donald Trump’s likeness on both sides to honor him and commemorate the United States’ 250th birthday next year. A first draft of […]

Read More
Trump’s 0,000 fee for H-1B worker visas challenged in lawsuit
Politics

Trump’s $100,000 fee for H-1B worker visas challenged in lawsuit

A coalition of unions, employers and religious groups filed a lawsuit on Friday seeking to block President Donald Trump’s bid to impose a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas for high-skilled foreign workers. The lawsuit filed in federal court in San Francisco is the first to challenge Trump’s proclamation issued last month announcing the fee. […]

Read More