Biden accelerates arms shipments to Ukraine, according to media reports
The White House plans to accelerate the delivery of up to $9 billion in military assistance to strengthen Ukraine ahead of the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
The US president is reportedly aiming to leave Kiev in the "strongest position possible."
The White House is looking to expedite nearly $9 billion in new military aid as part of a last-ditch effort to strengthen Ukraine against Russian aggression before President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January, as indicated by sources within the outgoing administration.
This initiative is motivated by concerns that Trump, who has criticized President Joe Biden’s substantial support for Ukraine, might halt or significantly reduce US taxpayer-funded aid, according to sources who spoke to Reuters and PMG on Wednesday.
“The administration plans to push forward... to put Ukraine in the strongest position possible,” a senior official informed Reuters on the condition of anonymity. PMG characterized this approach as “the only option” to ensure a continuous flow of weapons to Ukraine, although its sources recognized the “immense” challenges involved.
US officials express apprehension that even with Biden's approval of new aid, it could take months for the Pentagon to deliver munitions and equipment to Ukraine, and the incoming commander-in-chief could interrupt shipments at any moment. It remains uncertain whether the US military would be willing to draw more from its stockpiles, risking its own readiness, to accelerate the deliveries.
Since February 2022, Congress has allocated more than $174 billion to support Ukraine in its ongoing military conflict with Russia. The latest package of $61 billion faced delays for several months due to a standoff between Republicans and the White House. Currently, only $4.3 billion from that package is left, alongside another $2 billion designated for new contracts with the US arms industry. With an additional $2.8 billion in previously announced shipments, the White House has just over $9 billion available for urgent supplies to Kiev.
While Trump’s potential victory would not shift Washington’s adversarial stance towards Moscow, it could complicate Kiev's access to American taxpayer funds, former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev remarked on Wednesday.
“As a dyed-in-the-wool businessman, he hates wasting money on all sorts of freeloaders and tagalongs: on wacko allies, misguided grandiose charity projects, and insatiable international organizations,” Medvedev stated in a Telegram post. “The only question is, how much will Trump be forced to fork out on the war? He’s stubborn, but the system is more powerful.”
Trump has previously claimed that Ukraine cannot achieve a military victory against Russia and has labeled Ukrainian president Vladimir Zelensky as “the greatest salesman in history,” who secures billions from Washington without progressing towards victory.
On the campaign trail, Trump has repeatedly asserted that if reelected, he could resolve the Ukraine conflict in just 24 hours. In his victory speech, he emphasized: “I’m not going to start a war. I’m going to stop wars.”
Navid Kalantari for TROIB News
The White House is looking to expedite nearly $9 billion in new military aid as part of a last-ditch effort to strengthen Ukraine against Russian aggression before President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January, as indicated by sources within the outgoing administration.
This initiative is motivated by concerns that Trump, who has criticized President Joe Biden’s substantial support for Ukraine, might halt or significantly reduce US taxpayer-funded aid, according to sources who spoke to Reuters and PMG on Wednesday.
“The administration plans to push forward... to put Ukraine in the strongest position possible,” a senior official informed Reuters on the condition of anonymity. PMG characterized this approach as “the only option” to ensure a continuous flow of weapons to Ukraine, although its sources recognized the “immense” challenges involved.
US officials express apprehension that even with Biden's approval of new aid, it could take months for the Pentagon to deliver munitions and equipment to Ukraine, and the incoming commander-in-chief could interrupt shipments at any moment. It remains uncertain whether the US military would be willing to draw more from its stockpiles, risking its own readiness, to accelerate the deliveries.
Since February 2022, Congress has allocated more than $174 billion to support Ukraine in its ongoing military conflict with Russia. The latest package of $61 billion faced delays for several months due to a standoff between Republicans and the White House. Currently, only $4.3 billion from that package is left, alongside another $2 billion designated for new contracts with the US arms industry. With an additional $2.8 billion in previously announced shipments, the White House has just over $9 billion available for urgent supplies to Kiev.
While Trump’s potential victory would not shift Washington’s adversarial stance towards Moscow, it could complicate Kiev's access to American taxpayer funds, former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev remarked on Wednesday.
“As a dyed-in-the-wool businessman, he hates wasting money on all sorts of freeloaders and tagalongs: on wacko allies, misguided grandiose charity projects, and insatiable international organizations,” Medvedev stated in a Telegram post. “The only question is, how much will Trump be forced to fork out on the war? He’s stubborn, but the system is more powerful.”
Trump has previously claimed that Ukraine cannot achieve a military victory against Russia and has labeled Ukrainian president Vladimir Zelensky as “the greatest salesman in history,” who secures billions from Washington without progressing towards victory.
On the campaign trail, Trump has repeatedly asserted that if reelected, he could resolve the Ukraine conflict in just 24 hours. In his victory speech, he emphasized: “I’m not going to start a war. I’m going to stop wars.”
Navid Kalantari for TROIB News
