The Biden administration is expected to announce its final Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) package worth $1.2 billion, according to an exclusive report from Reuters on Friday, Dec. 20. The aid will reportedly feature air defense receptors and artillery munitions.
Reuters reports the equipment will come via the USAI program, which means the weapons will come from U.S. defense contractors, not ready-to-go American stockpiles.
The equipment is not on a fast track either, as aid using this method can reportedly take months or even years to reach troops on the battlefield.
The package may be one of the last steps the United States takes to support Ukraine with direct military support before President-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated on Jan. 20.
As Straight Arrow News has previously reported, Trump has questioned military aid to Ukraine in the past, and suggested European allies should bear more of the cost in supporting Kyiv militarily.
The incoming president’s stance has sparked concerns about the future of U.S. military funding for Ukraine during his second term.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine nearly three years ago, the United States has committed $175 billion to Kyiv, including a little more than $61 billion in security assistance, with half of that amount coming from the USAI program.
When asked about the latest package by Reuters, the U.S. State Department and Pentagon said they were not disclosing any information about the potential package until an official announcement is made.
