US announces $425 million Ukraine aid package

The Biden administration announced a $425 million package Friday for Ukraine, planning to deliver to Kyiv a shipment of artillery rounds, small arms ammunition, air defense munitions and cold weather gear ahead of winter.

The Defense Department said $300 million will be provided from the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, in which the U.S. will buy weapons systems from the defense industry before delivering them to Ukraine.

Those funds will be used for the purchase of laser-guided munitions to counter drones, according to the Pentagon.

Another $125 million in the package will be pulled directly from defense stocks.

That includes more than 3 million rounds of small arms ammunition and grenades, 12 transport trucks, winter gear, demolition equipment, munitions for missile and rocket defense systems and 155 mm and 105 mm artillery rounds.

The announcement comes as Ukraine is continuing to battle Russian forces in its southeast but faces significant hurdles in overcoming defenses.

Winter is expected to bring a slowdown in the conflict, but Ukraine is expected to continue pressing ahead.

The U.S. is running out of available funds to send to Ukraine. Congress has stalled on passing another round of assistance.

The Pentagon said Friday it “continues to call on Congress to meet its commitment to the people of Ukraine by passing additional funding to ensure Ukraine has what it needs to defend itself against Russia’s brutal war of choice.”