US announces new $500 million military aid package for Ukraine

This handout photograph taken and released by Ukrainian Presidential Press Service on December 12, 2024, shows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky lays flowers at the site of the missile strike carried out by Russia on December 10, in the city of Zaporizhzhia, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. – The search and rescue operation lasted nearly two days and concluded this afternoon. The strike claimed the lives of 11 people and injured 22 others. At the site of the attack, Volodymyr Zelensky honored the memory of the victims. (Photo by Handout / UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE / Agence France-Presse)

WASHINGTON — The United States on Thursday announced a new $500 million package of military aid for Ukraine, as Washington races to bolster Kyiv before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

“The United States is providing another significant package of urgently needed weapons and equipment to our Ukrainian partners as they defend against Russia’s ongoing attacks,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement, with the aid to be drawn from US military stockpiles.

Trump’s November election victory has cast doubt on the future of American aid for Ukraine, providing a limited window for billions of dollars in already authorized assistance to be disbursed before he is sworn in next month.

The Republican has said his incoming administration will “probably” reduce aid to Ukraine, which Washington has been steadfastly backing since its invasion by Russia nearly three years ago.

The package announced Thursday includes ammunition for precision HIMARS rocket launchers, artillery ammunition, drones, armored vehicles, and equipment to protect against chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear attacks, along with other equipment, the statement said.

READ: US announces nearly $1-B in new military aid for Ukraine

It follows a $988 million security assistance package and a separate $725 million package, both announced earlier this month.

The outgoing US administration is working to get as much aid as possible to Ukraine before Trump – who has repeatedly criticized US assistance for Kyiv and claimed he could secure a ceasefire within hours – takes over.

As President Joe Biden has “made clear, we’re going to continue to provide additional packages right up to the end of this administration,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said earlier Thursday.

READ: US announces new $725M package for Ukraine including more mines

Trump’s comments have triggered fears in Kyiv and Europe about the future of US aid, and Ukraine’s ability to withstand Russian attacks in the absence of further American support.

The United States has spearheaded the push for international support for Ukraine, quickly forging a coalition to back Kyiv after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022 and coordinating aid from dozens of countries.

Ukraine’s international supporters have since then provided tens of billions of dollars in weapons, ammunition, training and other security aid that has been key to helping Kyiv resist Russian forces.