According to two U.S. officials who spoke to Reuters on Tuesday, the United States is putting together a fresh military aid package for Ukraine that would be worth up to $400 million.
This is the first action of its kind in months while more funding for Kyiv is still being blocked by Republican leaders in Congress.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the officials stated that a Tuesday statement was anticipated.
According to one of the insiders, the money for this package comes from credits that the Pentagon received back for recent purchases.
To replace supplies transferred to Ukraine, the U.S. Army in particular has been making large acquisitions of weapons and vehicles.
When money to restock supplies ran out in December 2023, there was the last drawdown.
While the Biden administration waits for additional financing to be approved by Congress, using the funds that have been returned to replenish stockpiles creates a brief window of opportunity to urgently let further relief to be distributed from existing stocks.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Democratic U.S. President Joe Biden has supported military assistance to the country; in contrast, former President Donald Trump, who is expected to run against Biden on November 5, is more isolationist.
A $95 billion national security package that supports aid to Israel, Ukraine, and the Indo-Pacific region is being pushed through the House.
The Senate voted 70-29 in favor of the proposal, but House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, has refused to allow the aid package to be put to a vote in the House.
On Tuesday, officials from the United States intelligence community exerted intense pressure on members of the House of Representatives to grant Ukraine more military support, claiming that doing so would not only help Kyiv in its conflict with Russia but also deter Chinese invasion.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy declared on Monday that after Moscow’s troops took control of the eastern city of Avdiivka last month, the situation on the front lines of the nation’s conflict with Russia was at its best in three months.
In an interview with France’s BFM television, Zelenskiy stated that despite weapon shortages, Ukraine has strengthened its strategic position. However, he cautioned that if fresh supplies were not delivered, the situation would alter once more.
The Kremlin’s soldiers had some breathing room after taking control of Avdiivka, which allowed them to protect Donetsk, the Russian-held regional center located 20 kilometers (12 miles) to the east.
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Idrees Ali, Patricia Zengerle, and Mike Stone reported from Washington. Matthew Lewis and Chizu Nomiyama edited this work.
