Key Takeaways:
- The United States will send an additional $2.6 billion in military aid to Ukraine
- The Biden Administration has already sent over $31 billion to Ukraine since the Russian invasion in February 2022
- While Ukraine thanked the Biden Administration, opposition slammed it for its "wasteful spending"
YEREVAN (CoinChapter.com) — United States President Joe Biden’s Administration has announced a new $2.6 million military aid package to Ukraine. The latest assistance program will ship several defensive munitions to Kyiv as the country defends itself against a year-long Russian invasion.
The announcement marks the 35th installment of military aid to Ukraine. According to the US Department of Defense, the latest package includes HIMARS, air defense interceptors, and artillery rounds.
Moreover, Ukraine will also receive Surface-to-Air Missile Systems, Javelin anti-armor systems, Grad rockets, and air surveillance radars.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Government has, for the first time, also secured nine counter-unmanned serial system 30 mm gun trucks from Washington.
“Our focus is on supporting the Ukrainians to change the dynamic on the ground. We want to help Ukraine advance and hold its positions in what we expect will be a Ukrainian counteroffensive,”
a senior defense official said in a press release.
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Ukraine thanks the US for the new military aid
Some ammunition to be sent to Ukraine (valued at $500 million) will go from the available US Stocks. However, the Biden Administration will spend $2.1 billion to buy more weapons and munitions for Ukraine. The White House will purchase those using the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) funds.
Before the Pentagon announced the new aid package to Ukraine, Finland joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). As a result, official Helsinki has been one of the highest contributors to Ukraine, both in the percentage of GDP and in total dollars spent on military assistance.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba thanked the United States for its continuous assistance to Kyiv.
“More military aid is on its way to help Ukraine liberate more territory from Russian occupation. I am grateful to the US for its unwavering support of Ukraine,”
Kuleba said.
The country’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, also thanked President Biden for his assistance in the “occupied territories liberation” plan.
The United States has been the biggest supporter of Kyiv in its fight against Vladimir Putin’s unilateral invasion.
According to a recent report by the US Congress, Washington has committed about $34 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since 2014. The Biden Administration has committed more than $31.7 billion in security assistance since the start of the 2022 war.
Republicans Slam Biden Administration
While the Biden Administration is busy sending more funds to Ukraine, the situation at home is getting serious. According to the US Department of Treasury, the Social Security Retirement Fund could run out of money by the end of this year. This is one year before officials had previously projected.
Thanks to the looming crisis, as many as 66 million Americans stand to lose about 23% to 25% in federal benefits such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.
Against this backdrop, one would assume the US Government would be running from pillar to post trying to solve this issue. However, Joe Biden has requested Congress for a massive $886 billion defense budget instead.
Republican Congressman Randy Feenstra slammed the Biden Administration for its “wasteful spending agenda” that threatens to render Medicare and Social Security trust funds insolvent.
While Joe Biden is focused on Ukraine abroad, the domestic political field is focused on the criminal charges against Former President Donald Trump. Average Americans must be wondering what is going on.
