John Kirby, the Strategic Communications Coordinator for the National Security Council at the White House, announced that the United States no longer has funds to continue supporting Ukraine. During a press conference, Kirby explained that the president had signed the last package for which funding was available, and now additional approval is required for further financial support for Ukraine.
Kirby also mentioned that the latest aid package signed by President Joe Biden on December 27 has not been fully delivered to Ukraine yet and might take weeks to complete.
In late December, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the sending of a “final” military aid package worth $250 million to Ukraine for the year 2023. The White House warned that this depletes the available funds to support Kyiv, and there will be no new supplies of weapons and ammunition until Congress approves additional funding.
The White House’s request for assistance to Ukraine must be approved by both houses. Meanwhile, Republicans have stated they will not support allocating funds to Kyiv authorities until the Biden administration changes its approach to protecting American borders. As a result, no compromise has been reached, and the House of Representatives went on winter break.
Since the beginning of the war against Russia, the United States has been a major supporter of Ukraine, providing substantial financial and military assistance. The U.S. Department of Defense has been actively involved in these efforts, regularly announcing security assistance to meet Ukraine’s critical defense needs. This assistance has included various forms of equipment and support, such as air defense capabilities, artillery ammunition, antitank weapons, and more.
The United States, along with its allies and partners, has been united in supporting Ukraine in response to Russia’s aggression. This support has been comprehensive, covering military assistance, training, and equipment to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia’s war. To date, the U.S. has provided approximately $44.2 billion in military assistance since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, and more than $47 billion since Russia’s initial invasion of Ukraine in 2014. This aid demonstrates a strong commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The types of assistance provided include a wide range of military hardware and support systems. For air defense, the U.S. has supplied equipment like Patriot air defense batteries, National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), and Stinger anti-aircraft missiles. For ground forces, the U.S. has provided Howitzers, various types of artillery rounds, and precision-guided munitions. Additionally, there have been supplies of antitank weapons and equipment to enhance Ukraine’s air defense systems and protect critical infrastructure.
