The United States gives $500 million in aid to Ukraine

2025-01-09 15:58:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin today gathered his world counterparts, part of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, for a final meeting of this group under his patronage. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is also participating in the meeting of the Contact Group, who called on the future American administration not to abandon Ukraine. During this visit to the US military base Ramstein in Germany, President Biden's administration announced the latest package of military aid to Kiev in the amount of 500 million dollars.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany for a final meeting of the Defense Contact Group for Ukraine, a group he started at the military base to coordinate international military assistance to the Ukrainians just weeks after the attack. of Russia.

"If Putin devours Ukraine, his appetite will only increase," declared Secretary Austin. "If autocrats come to the conclusion that democracies will lose patience, that they will give up their interests and forget their principles, we will see more frequent usurpation of territories. If tyrants realize that aggression is rewarded, it will lead to more aggression, chaos and war."

Ukrainian President Zelensky calls on the new US administration not to stop aid to Ukraine.

"We have done so much and frankly it would be crazy to give up now and not continue to build the defense coalitions we have created," stated Mr. Zelensky. "Regardless of what's going on in the world, everyone wants to feel safe that their country will just disappear from the map."

During the meeting, Secretary Austin announced that the United States will provide Kiev with military equipment from US reserves worth $500 million, which is also the last aid package from President Biden, who ends his term at the end of his term. of this month. The aid includes missiles for military aircraft, maintenance equipment for F-16 aircraft as well as ammunition and small arms.

There is currently 3.8 billion left in aid to Ukraine, which was approved by Congress in April of last year, but the Pentagon says that this aid cannot be sent to Ukraine yet because additional funds from Congress are needed to fill the US reserves in advance.

While Ukrainians are fighting for survival, the cause of their support is surrounded by uncertainty.

President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office on January 20, has not made it clear whether the United States will continue to lead the group.

Current administration officials and military analysts say a decision not to continue the effort would have disastrous consequences for Kiev.

"If the United States were to significantly limit or end support for Ukraine, Ukraine would face a major disaster, and President-elect Trump would be responsible for that. Point. So I'm sure President-elect Trump wouldn't want this as part of his legacy," says analyst Bradley Bowman of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

While analysts hail the Defense Contact Group for Ukraine as the high point of Secretary Austin's legacy, delays caused by Congress and debates within President Biden's administration over what weapons to give Kiev have hampered the Ukraine battle.

"Unfortunately, very often we have seen a dynamic where there were guesses, when Ukraine asked for something and the administration said no, then maybe in the end yes. And then over this period of time, we've seen Russia advancing, Ukrainians dying and delays costing," said analyst Bowman.

Since Russia's attack on Ukraine in 2022, the Contact Group, made up of 50 countries, has provided Kiev with over $126 billion in aid in the form of weapons, training and equipment./VOA