Biden administration declares $988 million in help to Ukraine on identical day Trump meets Zelensky in Paris

The Biden administration introduced a $988 million help bundle on Saturday. in Ukraine to make sure that it “has the instruments it must prevail in its battle in opposition to Russian aggression.”

“This administration has made its selection. Similar to a bipartisan coalition in Congress. The following administration should make its personal selection,” Protection Secretary Lloyd Austin mentioned Saturday on the Reagan Nationwide Protection Discussion board in California. “However, from this library, from this podium, I’m satisfied that President Reagan would have stood with Ukraine, with American safety and with human freedom.”

The help is being offered below the Ukraine Safety Help Initiative and “will present Ukraine with munitions for its rocket techniques and unmanned aerial techniques,” an announcement from the Ukraine mentioned. administration. “This bundle additionally consists of assist for upkeep and restore packages to assist Ukraine replenish its forces and construct and keep its fight energy.”

The announcement got here as President-elect Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy throughout a ceremony commemorating the reopening of Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral on Saturday after a devastating fireplace in 2019.

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The Biden administration introduced a $988 million help bundle to Ukraine on Saturday to make sure it “has the instruments it must prevail in its battle in opposition to Russian aggression.” (Andrew Cabalero-Reynolds/AFP through Getty Pictures)

Through the marketing campaign, Trump and his working mate J.D. Vance has closely criticized the Biden administration's assist for Ukraine after the 2022 Russian invasion, and Trump has mentioned he would finish the conflict earlier than even taking workplace, with out providing additional particulars.

Vance additionally urged earlier this yr that the easiest way to finish the conflict was for Ukraine to cede land that Russia had seized and for a demilitarized zone to be established, a proposal that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky categorically rejected.

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French President Emmanuel Macron, heart, poses with President-elect Donald Trump, left, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the Élysée Palace in Paris on Saturday. (AP Picture/Aurelien Morissard)

Not too long ago, Zelensky mentioned he was extra open to conflict negotiations and known as for Ukraine to be allowed to affix NATO.

The Biden administration has pledged to offer as a lot help as doable to Ukraine earlier than Trump takes workplace in January.

“In September, the president introduced a rise in safety help to Ukraine to place Ukrainian forces within the strongest doable place earlier than he leaves workplace,” the adviser mentioned Monday to Nationwide Safety Jake Sullivan in an announcement. while announcing $725 million in help to Ukraine.

Secretary Lloyd Austin (Alex Wong/Getty Pictures)

“By mid-January, we are going to ship a whole bunch of hundreds of extra artillery shells, hundreds of extra rockets and different essential capabilities to assist Ukraine defend its freedom and independence.”

Final month, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned: “President Biden is dedicated to making sure that each greenback we’ve is out the door by January twentieth. »

Saturday's announcement marks the administration's twenty second help bundle below the Ukraine Safety Help Initiative.

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This week, Home Speaker Mike Johnson rejected an administration request for Congress to authorize $24 billion in extra funding.

“It’s lower than Joe Biden to make that call now,” Johnson mentioned. “We’ve got a newly elected president, and we're going to attend and take course from the brand new commander in chief on all of this. So, I don't anticipate any funding from Ukraine to come back via now.”