WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States is expected to denote that it volition nonstop $1.25 cardinal successful subject assistance to Ukraine, U.S. officials said Friday, arsenic the Biden medication pushes to get as overmuch assistance to Kyiv arsenic possible before leaving bureau connected Jan. 20.
The ample bundle of assistance includes a important magnitude of munitions, including for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems and the HAWK aerial defence system. It besides volition supply Stinger missiles and 155 mm- and 105 mm artillery rounds, officials said.
The officials, who said they expect the announcement to beryllium made connected Monday, spoke connected information of anonymity to supply details not yet made public.
The caller assistance comes arsenic Russia has launched a barrage of attacks against Ukraine's powerfulness facilities successful caller days, though Ukraine has said it intercepted a important fig of the missiles and drones. Russian and Ukrainian forces are besides inactive successful a bitter conflict astir the Russian borderline portion of Kursk, wherever Moscow has sent thousands of North Korean troops to assistance reclaim territory taken by Ukraine.
Earlier this month, elder defence officials acknowledged that that the Defense Department whitethorn not beryllium capable to send all of the remaining $5.6 cardinal successful Pentagon weapons and instrumentality stocks passed by Congress for Ukraine earlier President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in.
Trump has talked astir getting immoderate benignant of negotiated colony betwixt Ukraine and Russia, and spoken about his narration with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Many U.S. and European leaders are acrophobic that it mightiness effect successful a mediocre woody for Ukraine and they interest that helium won't supply Ukraine with each the weapons backing approved by Congress.
The assistance successful the caller bundle is successful statesmanlike drawdown authority, which allows the Pentagon to instrumentality weapons disconnected the shelves and nonstop them rapidly to Ukraine. This latest assistance would trim the remaining magnitude to astir $4.35 billion.
Officials person said they anticipation that an influx of assistance volition assistance fortify Ukraine's hand, should Zelenskyy determine it's clip to negotiate.
One elder defence authoritative said that portion the U.S. volition proceed to supply weapons to Ukraine until Jan. 20, determination whitethorn good beryllium funds remaining that volition beryllium disposable for the incoming Trump medication to spend.
According to the Pentagon, determination is besides astir $1.2 cardinal remaining successful longer-term backing done the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which is utilized to wage for weapons contracts that would not beryllium delivered for a twelvemonth oregon more. Officials person said the medication anticipates releasing each of that wealth earlier the extremity of the calendar year.
If the caller bundle is included, the U.S. has provided much than $64 cardinal successful information assistance to Ukraine since Russia invaded successful February 2022.
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