The Biden administration is planning to rush the delivery of the remaining $6 billion in military aid to Ukraine ahead of the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump in January 2025, Politico reported on Nov. 6.
Two administration officials told Politico that the White House plans to expedite the weapons delivery amid concerns that a future Trump administration would halt weapons shipments before they reach Kyiv.
Trump has repeatedly said that he would end the war within "24 hours" and get the U.S. "out" of Ukraine — a plan that may involve ceding Ukrainian territory and creating autonomous regions in the east, according to reporting in October.
In June, two top advisors to Trump proposed a plan that would cease military aid to Ukraine unless it agrees to hold peace negotiations with Russia, Reuters reported, citing the advisors, retired General Keith Kellogg and Fred Fleit.
Politico reported that of the $61 billion aid package passed by congress in April, only $4.3 billion remains to pull existing weapons stocks, while a further $2.1 billion in funding remains to put weapons on contract with U.S. defense companies.
Despite the president's ability to deliver existing weapons stocks through presidential drawdown authority, White House officials are concerned that the delivery of the large amount of weaponry may take months to reach Ukraine — well past Trump's inauguration into office.
Despite the concerns around the weapons timely delivery, the Pentagon will remain "on track to continue to provide the authorized assistance to support Ukraine," Pentagon spokesperson Lt. Col. Charlie Dietz told Politico. "We expect to have further assistance in the coming weeks."
Mont recently on Oct. 16, U.S. President Joe Biden announced the latest $425 million in new security assistance for Ukraine during a phone call with Zelensky.
Following Trump's presidential election victory, President Volodymyr Zelensky has move to mend previous tensions stemming from Trump's first impeachment trial involving Zelensky in 2019. Zelensky congratulated Trump on his election victory in a phone call on Nov. 6.
Dmytro Basmat
