“The United States is providing another significant package of urgently needed weapons and equipment to our Ukrainian partners as they defend against Russia’s ongoing attacks,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.
The package announced Thursday includes drones; High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) artillery and ammunition; armored vehicles; nuclear, chemical and radiological protective equipment; and other equipment.
President Biden welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the South Lawn at the White House in Washington Dec. 21, 2022. (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque )
The newest round of aid follows Biden’s announcement of a $988 million military aid package to Ukraine earlier this week.
A member of the 24th Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces fires a self-propelled howitzer toward Russian forces during Russia’s attack on Ukraine near the town of Chasiv Yar in Donetsk region, Ukraine, Nov. 18, 2024. (Oleg Petrasiuk/Press Service of the 24th King Danylo Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces/Handout via Reuters )
Trump’s election victory has raised questions about whether he will continue to aid Ukraine with billions in assistance.
Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance criticized the Biden administration’s support for Ukraine, and the former president said on the campaign trial he would bring an end to the war before even entering office.
Vance made headlines this year after he suggested the best way to end the war was for Ukraine to cede the land Russia has seized and for a demilitarized zone to be established, a proposal Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy flatly rejected.
French President Emmanuel Macron, center, poses with President-elect Trump, left, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Elysee Palace Dec. 7, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
During his visit to Paris last weekend, Trump met with Zelenskyy, where the pair were expected to discuss the ongoing conflict.