President Biden announces final aid package for Ukraine

(CLO) The administration of President Joe Biden on Thursday announced the final military aid package for Ukraine before leaving office, worth about $500 million, leaving about $3.8 billion for President-elect Donald Trump.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced details of the aid package at the 25th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Liaison Group at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. The package includes F-16 fighter jet support equipment, air defense missiles, ammunition and air-to-ground weapons for Ukraine.

The 25th meeting of the Ukrainian Defense Contact Group at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Photo: X/TsitsavaGreta

While the White House has pledged to spend all of the aid before Biden leaves office, $3.8 billion remains unspent, which will be managed by the Trump administration when he takes office on January 20, 2025.

Since his election campaign, Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized the US role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. He has declared that he will stop aid to Ukraine if re-elected and asserted that he can quickly end the war. This has made observers worry that military aid to Ukraine could be cut when Trump returns to the White House.

However, according to information from the Financial Times in December 2024, citing three officials familiar with the matter, Mr. Trump is said to have continued to send military equipment to Ukraine after taking office.

"Today I am announcing a new Presidential Appropriations Authorization (PDA) package of approximately $500 million. This package includes additional air defense missiles, ammunition, air-to-ground weapons, and support equipment for Ukraine's F-16 aircraft," said US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shared on the X platform: "Today, at the Ramstein Contact Group, after almost three years of full-scale war, we have proven that when united, no one is too small to make history."

Whether Donald Trump will continue or cut aid to Ukraine remains an open question. However, with the remaining $3.8 billion, Trump’s decision will have a major impact on the course of the war and Ukraine’s future in the conflict with Russia.

Cao Phong (according to Financial Times, Newsweek)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/tong-thong-biden-cong-bo-goi-vien-tro-cuoi-cho-ukraine-de-lai-38-ty-do-la-cho-ong-trump-post329816.html