Ukraine is running out of US weapons aid

Funds approved by the US Congress to provide weapons to Kyiv under US President Joe Biden have almost dried up and most of the military aid has gone to Ukraine.

According to The Kyiv Independent, former President Biden on December 30 announced the final military aid package under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) worth nearly $2.5 billion for Ukraine. The aid package mainly includes anti-aircraft missiles and ammunition for missile systems such as HIMARS, as well as many artillery shells. However, this budget is now almost used up.

President Trump wants Ukraine to use its rare earth reserves in exchange for US aid

USAI has allocated a total of $32.7 billion to purchase new military equipment for Ukraine since 2022. In its fiscal year 2025 spending proposal, released before President Donald Trump took office, the Pentagon only requested an additional $300 million to the fund, a relatively modest figure.

In addition to USAI, the US can provide weapons to Ukraine under the Presidential Authorization (PDA), a law that allows the US government to directly withdraw weapons from its stockpile to transfer to partners in an emergency without congressional approval. On January 9, the US announced $500 million in military aid to Ukraine, marking the last aid package Washington will provide to Kyiv under President Biden.

A convoy of Bradley fighting vehicles is loaded onto a ship to support Ukraine in South Carolina (USA)

According to The Kyiv Independent , the PDA budget currently has only $3.8 billion left unspent. The way the PDA aid packages are structured is to pay US arms manufacturers to replenish domestic stockpiles, rather than directly buying new weapons to send to Ukraine. Therefore, any further aid that the Pentagon transfers to Ukraine will be significantly lower than the $3.8 billion.

The US Congress has yet to approve the 2025 budget, and any future arms allocations to Ukraine will depend heavily on President Trump’s influence. Ukraine’s continued reliance on US weapons will give Trump a bargaining chip.

The US leader has previously expressed his desire to exchange US aid for Ukraine's mineral reserves, especially rare earths. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signaled that he is ready to move forward with such a deal.

155mm artillery shells are packaged for transport in Pennsylvania (USA) in February 2024

US arms are crucial to Ukraine. Mr Zelensky recently released figures showing that US arms packages account for about 40% of Ukraine’s total arms supply. While the funding is ending, the Pentagon itself said it has delivered most of what was allocated to Ukraine.

Lieutenant Colonel Charlie Dietz, a Pentagon representative, said: "As of January 10, the US Department of Defense has transferred 89% of the critical ammunition, 94% of the anti-armor systems, and 75% of other firepower committed to Ukraine through the PDA." Mr. Dietz said the remaining weapons will be gradually delivered to Ukraine in the coming time.

Reuters quoted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on February 5 as saying that cutting off weapons aid from Washington would seriously affect Kyiv's defense capabilities. "We will be weaker, and whether we will be able to keep our territory, I am not sure," Mr. Zelensky said.

Mr Zelensky added that Ukraine would continue to receive military aid from the US, but there was currently no discussion about any potential aid package.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ukraine-sap-can-vien-tro-vu-khi-my-185250206173114824.htm