Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said direct budget support is vital for maintaining critical functions within Ukraine’s government during the winter months.
The United States on Monday announced nearly $6 billion in additional military and direct budgetary support for Ukraine amidst the ongoing Russia–Ukraine conflict.
The announcement was made just weeks before President Joe Biden’s term concludes and President-elect Donald Trump’s second term begins.
Biden confirmed on Monday that the latest package includes $2.5 billion in security assistance, while Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said $3.4 billion in direct budget support is being made available to the country.
“The Department of Defense is in the process of delivering hundreds of thousands of artillery rounds, thousands of rockets, and hundreds of armored vehicles which will strengthen Ukraine’s hand as it heads into the winter,” Biden said in a Dec. 30 statement. “At my direction, the United States will continue to work relentlessly to strengthen Ukraine’s position in this war over the remainder of my time in office.”
The security allocation features $1.25 billion drawn from U.S. Department of Defense stockpiles—described as “previous drawdowns” in a Dec. 30 statement from the U.S. Department of State—and a $1.22 billion Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) package. Under the USAI, military equipment is procured directly from the defense industry or partner nations rather than from existing U.S. inventory, potentially prolonging the timeframe for delivery.
Biden indicated that these amounts represent funds already appropriated earlier in the year and are now being allocated in full.
“As I committed earlier this year, the Department of Defense has now allocated all remaining USAI funds appropriated by Congress in the supplemental that I signed in April, and my Administration is fully utilizing the funding appropriated by Congress to support the drawdown of U.S. equipment for Ukraine,” he said. “I’ve directed my Administration to continue surging as much assistance to Ukraine as quickly as possible—including drawing down older U.S. equipment for Ukraine, rapidly delivering it to the battlefield, and then revitalizing the U.S. defense industrial base to modernize and replenish our stockpiles with new weapons.”
By Chase Smith
