Ukrainian servicemen of 79th brigade take part in training, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, Ukraine March 4, 2024. REUTERS/Oleksandr Ratushniak/File Photo
The United States is currently in the process of formulating a new military aid package for Ukraine, potentially amounting to $400 million, according to two officials within the U.S. government who spoke to Reuters on Tuesday. This initiative marks the first significant move in months, as additional financial support for Kyiv has faced obstacles from Republican leaders in Congress.
Speaking under conditions of anonymity, the officials disclosed that an official announcement regarding the aid package is anticipated later on Tuesday. It was revealed that the funding for this endeavor stems from credits reimbursed to the Pentagon for recent procurements and is expected to include artillery. Notably, the U.S. Army has been engaged in substantial acquisitions of munitions and vehicles to replenish stocks previously dispatched to Ukraine.
The most recent allocation of military resources occurred in December 2023 when funding for replenishing stocks was depleted entirely. Against the backdrop of opposition from Republican hardliners in Congress, the White House has been actively exploring avenues to escalate military assistance to Ukraine, given the evolving situation on the battlefield.
Efforts have included considerations of utilizing approximately $285 billion in Russian assets immobilized since 2022 to finance weaponry for Ukraine. Concurrently, Poland’s president and prime minister are scheduled to confer with President Joe Biden at the White House later on Tuesday to discuss strategies for reinforcing support to Ukraine.
The disclosure of the new weapons package was initially reported by Reuters earlier on Tuesday. Leveraging refunded credits to replenish stocks presents a limited opportunity to expedite aid delivery from existing inventories, while the Biden administration awaits the passage of supplementary funding by lawmakers.
President Biden, a Democrat, has consistently advocated for military assistance to Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, in contrast to the more isolationist stance of his potential Republican opponent in the upcoming election, former President Donald Trump.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, a staunch ally of Trump, has thus far declined to schedule a vote on a bill that would allocate an additional $60 billion for Ukraine. Despite passage in the Democratic-controlled Senate, both Republican and Democratic representatives assert that the bill would garner support if permitted a vote in the House.
Urgent appeals from leaders of U.S. intelligence agencies have urged members of the House of Representatives to endorse further military assistance for Ukraine. They argue that such support would not only bolster Kyiv’s defense against Russia but also serve as a deterrent against Chinese aggression.
On Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy remarked that the current state of affairs along the frontline of the conflict with Russia represented the most favorable conditions in three months. Despite strategic improvements, Zelenskiy emphasized the critical need for additional weaponry to sustain momentum, cautioning that the situation could deteriorate without prompt resupply.
Zelenskiy also warned of Russia’s alleged preparations for a new offensive against Ukraine, potentially commencing in late May or during the summer months. Notably, he cited a casualty figure of 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers since February 2022.
The capture of Avdiivka by Russian forces provided a strategic advantage by affording breathing space for defending the Russian-held regional center of Donetsk. However, recent reports indicate Ukrainian troops were compelled to vacate several neighboring settlements due to sustained Russian offensives amid dwindling munition supplies.
Additionally, Denmark has announced its intention to provide a new military aid package to Ukraine, encompassing Caesar artillery systems and ammunition valued at approximately 2.3 billion Danish crowns ($336.6 million). Furthermore, European Union countries are reportedly on the verge of agreeing to a new 5 billion-euro ($5.46 billion) augmentation to a fund designated for financing military shipments to Ukraine, as per reports from the Financial Times.
COMMENTS