In an effort to help Ukraine “win this war,” President Joe Biden announced on Thursday, Sept. 26, $8 billion in military weapons and equipment is going to Kyiv. The announcement comes against the backdrop of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to the United States for the United Nations General Assembly.
The Biden administration held talks with U.S. Congress to allow it to use $5.6 billion in military aid for Ukraine before the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30, which is when the White House’s authority is set to expire.
The White House was expected to notify Congress it intends to move ahead with the $5.6 billion “drawdown” from U.S. weapons stockpiles. Exactly which weapons and equipment will be sent is still reportedly “in flux.”
The White House also revealed an additional $2.4 billion in aid under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative Program, which allows the Biden administration to buy weapons for Ukraine from companies rather than pulling from U.S. inventory. The aid includes weapons to fight off drone attacks as well as material to help Kyiv ramp up its munitions production.
In addition to the aid announced, the United States is also sending a $375 million package that reportedly includes a “precision-guided glide bomb,” capable of traveling more than 80 miles.
Despite the announcements, the White House insists that it will look for even more help from the U.S. Congress in the coming months, seeking to approve more funding for Ukraine. So far, Congress has approved $175 billion in aid and military assistance for Ukraine and allied nations since Russia’s invasion more than two years ago.
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