United States President Joe Biden's administration unveiled its final package of the year for Ukraine in the form of a $250 million military assistance agreement.
On Wednesday, the State Department announced the newest aid package as American lawmakers continue negotiating a spending deal to sustain US support for Kyiv into the new year.
US Aid for Ukraine
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US will provide Ukraine with "up to $250 million of arms and equipment under previously directed drawdowns." The newest military aid package would include air defense munitions, air defense system components, ammunition for high mobility artillery rocket systems, and various ammunition.
The latest package, which will be the last one the US gives Ukraine as funds dry up, comes as Kyiv's progress in its war against Russia has stalled. As per Politico, winter conditions make continued fighting on the battlefield against Moscow's military troops even more challenging.
Additionally, European leaders are now growing increasingly pessimistic about Ukraine's capability of repelling Russia's continued aggression. They are also wary of Kyiv's ability to reclaim lost territory in the country's eastern provinces.
While President Biden and his administration have continued expressing their support for Kyiv, US aid to Ukraine has become a partisan issue. There have been an increasing number of Republican lawmakers who criticized ongoing military assistance to the European nation.
More than 100 GOP members tried to cut funding for Ukraine in September completely and many Republican presidential candidates have spoken out against the aid packages. These include the frontrunner, former United States President Donald Trump.
The Biden administration has already asked Congress for a supplemental package with more than $60 billion in aid for Ukraine. However, the legislation is currently stalled as negotiators are trying to find a compromise on border security and immigration policy, which are key demands Republicans want to include in any deal, according to CNN.
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Military Aid Assistance for Kyiv
Furthermore, the president's administration has repeatedly warned that its ability to assist Ukraine is rapidly dwindling. This has forced the Pentagon to stretch what little money it had left into smaller military aid packages.
In a statement, Blinken said that Congress must act quickly and as soon as possible to advance our national security interests. This would be by helping Ukraine defend itself and secure its future.
Earlier this month, the US announced security packages amounting to $200 million and $175 million. These are considered relatively small compared to the much larger aid packages that the Biden administration has been able to send to Kyiv in the past.
In mid-December, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a surprise visit to Washington, saying he is confident in robust, bipartisan support for Ukraine. However, he added that he wants to see such support through lawmakers' actions.
During a press conference, Zelensky said he got the signal that American lawmakers were more than positive. But he said that they need to separate words and results, adding that they would want to count on particular results, said The Hill.
