Biden administration releases up to $250M worth of additional assistance for Ukraine

With support from its allies wavering and a still-determined invader to deal with, Ukraine received a much-needed boost last week from the Biden administration, which provided additional security assistance and equipment for its war effort to the tune of up to $250 million.

The 54th round of equipment released by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) for Ukraine included a large mix of supplies, such as: 

• Munitions for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems
• Stinger anti-aircraft missiles
• Air defense system components
• Artillery rounds and small arms ammunition
• Spare parts, medical equipment, and other items for maintenance and secondary equipment

While Congress has debated additional funding for the Eastern European nation and its fight against a Russian invasion, this latest package continued to rely on assistance previously authorized during prior fiscal years through the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA). In their statement, the DoD used the opportunity to remind Congress of the need for further action. 

“It remains critical that Congress takes action as soon as possible in the new year on the President’s national security supplemental request to ensure that our support for Ukraine can continue and Ukraine is able to defend itself against Russia’s ongoing attacks and consolidate and extend its battlefield gains,” the DoD wrote.

The administration also claimed that ongoing U.S. leadership in funding is necessary to maintain the coalition efforts of allies and partners in support of Ukraine.