Biden Sends Ukraine Another $2.5 Billion Before Trump Takes Office

President Joe Biden announced another $2.5 billion in financial support for Ukraine on Monday as he continues ramping up financial support for the country in the final days of his presidency before President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in for his second term. 

The assistance includes a $1.25 billion military aid package from the Defense Department and a $1.22 billion Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. 

“Since Russia launched its further assault against Ukraine in February 2022, the United States has rallied the world to stand with the Ukrainian people, and it has been a top priority of mine to provide Ukraine with the support it needs to prevail,” Biden said in a statement.

“I’ve directed my Administration to continue surging as much assistance to Ukraine as quickly as possible—including drawing down older U.S. equipment for Ukraine, rapidly delivering it to the battlefield, and then revitalizing the U.S. defense industrial base to modernize and replenish our stockpiles with new weapons,” Biden added.

The military aid includes air defense munitions, artillery ammunition, Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems munitions, ammunition for rocket systems, air-to-ground munitions, missiles, communications equipment, and demolition equipment.

“This support is crucial to stabilizing the front lines—every additional supply from our partners means more saved lives of our soldiers,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday, anticipating the aid. “We are also working to ensure that other partners maintain their support at the necessary level.”

Biden announced an additional $725 million in military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine earlier this month and another $275 million last month. Under Biden, the U.S. has committed more than $183 billion to Ukraine. 

Trump has promised to wind down the war in Ukraine and negotiate a quick peace settlement. Earlier this month, he met with Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, where they spoke about bringing the war to a close. 

“He wants to make peace,” Trump told the New York Post about his conversation with Zelensky. “That’s new.”

“He wants to have a cease-fire,” he added. “He wants to make peace. We didn’t talk about the details. He thinks it’s time, and Putin should think it’s time because he’s lost — when you lose 700,000 people, it’s time.”

Trump has also been critical of Biden’s recent policy changes, such as allowing Ukraine to launch long-range American-supplied missiles into Russia. He described Biden’s decision as a “very stupid thing” to do.

Trump has maintained that Russia would not have invaded Ukraine had he been president, blaming the Biden administration for the costly war.