United States gives $500m in aid to Ukraine

During this visit to the U.S. military base Ramstein in Germany, the administration of President Biden announced the latest package of military aid to Kiev, worth $500m.

Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin is at the US air base Ramstein in Germany for a recent meeting of the Ukrainian Protection Contact Group, a group he started on this military base to co-ordinate international military assistance to Ukrainians just weeks after Russia's attack.

If Putin devours Ukraine, his appetite will only add”He declared Secretary Austin. If autocrats conclude that democracies will lose patience, give up their interests and forget the principles, we will see more frequent usurpation of territories. If the tyrants realize that aggression is rewarded, it will bring more aggression, chaos and war”.

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

We've done so much and it's really crazy to give up now and not keep building the defence coalitions that we've created,” Said Mr. Zelensky. Regardless of what's going on in the world, everyone wants to feel sure that their country will simply be extinguished from 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 bailout package from President Biden, who ends his mandate at the end of this month. The aid includes rockets for military planes, F-16 aircraft maintenance equipment, as well as small ammunition and weapons.

There are currently 3.8 billion assistance left for Ukraine, approved by Congress in April last year, but at the Pentagon they say that this assistance cannot still be sent to Ukraine because additional funds from Congress are needed to meet American reserves.

While Ukrainians are struggling for survival, the cause of their support is uncertainly surrounded.

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

Current administration officials and military analysts say a decision not to continue this effort will have catastrophic consequences for Kiev.

If the United States obviously limits or ends its support for Ukraine, Ukraine will face a major disaster and elected President Trump will be responsible for it. Period. So I'm sure the President-elect Trump wouldn't want this as part of his” legacy, says analyst Bradley Bowman from the Foundation for the Protection of Democracy, reports VOA.

While analysts estimate the Contact Group for the Protection of Ukraine as the highest point in the heritage of Secretary Austin, delays caused by Congress and debates within President Biden's administration on what weapons to give Kiev have hampered the battle of Ukraine.

We have very often seen a dynamic where there was speculation, when Ukraine asked for something and the administration said no, then maybe and finally yes. And then over this period of time, we've seen Russia advance, Ukrainians dying and delays costing”The analyst Bowman said.

Since Russia's attack on Ukraine in 2022, the Contact Group, made up of 50 countries, has offered Kiev over $126 billion in arms, training, and equipment assistance.