RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany — The United States is preparing to send Ukraine an extra $500 million in military supplies hastily sourced from its current stockpiles, as the Biden administration aims to enhance Kyiv’s position in negotiations ahead of the upcoming transition to President-elect Donald Trump, according to two U.S. officials.
This announcement is anticipated during Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s concluding visit with the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, which consists of approximately 50 allied nations that Austin organized shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The intent of this coalition is to coordinate support in the form of military aid.
The meeting on Thursday marks the 25th gathering of the U.S.-led coalition and possibly its last, as member countries await the decision on whether the group will continue under Trump’s administration.
“Our priority remains on sustaining momentum, producing tangible outcomes, and delivering a salient message: The global community is steadfast in its commitment to Ukraine,” Austin expressed to the media accompanying him.
The munitions are funded by the presidential drawdown authority, allowing them to be directly taken from U.S. military reserves. A senior defense official, speaking on the condition of confidentiality, indicated that the aim is to ensure that these supplies reach Ukraine by the end of the month.
These officials provided this information with the understanding that it had not yet been made public. To date, the U.S. has allocated around $66.5 billion in military assistance to Ukraine since the onset of the conflict nearly three years ago.
Currently, there is just under $4 billion left in funding authorized by Congress for Ukraine, much of which is likely to carry over to Trump’s administration, which will make decisions on the continuation of military support.
