Outgoing US administration 'pours' large aid package to Ukraine

(CLO) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on December 2 that the US will provide Ukraine with an aid package worth up to 725 million USD, including missiles, ammunition, anti-personnel mines and other weapons.

The unusually large size of the aid package marks a significant increase over previous packages authorized through the Presidential Readjustment Authority (PDA), which allows the U.S. government to use existing arsenals to support allies in an emergency.

Recent PDA packages have typically ranged from $125 million to $250 million. However, with the $4 billion to $5 billion already approved by Congress, the Biden administration is expected to continue using the PDA to “dump” maximum aid to Ukraine before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on January 20.

A Ukrainian soldier holds a US Stinger anti-aircraft missile. Photo: Reuters

The aid package includes Stinger missiles, ammunition for the HIMARS high-mobility rocket artillery system, drones and anti-personnel mines.

The move is aimed at strengthening Kiev and releasing all aid before outgoing President Joe Biden leaves office in January next year to hand over the White House to Donald Trump.

President-elect Donald Trump is expected to change the US strategy towards Ukraine. He has criticized the scale of aid the Biden administration has provided to Kiev and made a quick end to the war a central part of his campaign.

Last week, Trump appointed retired general Keith Kellogg as his special envoy for the Ukraine conflict. Kellogg’s plan, revealed in June, is to pressure the Kiev government into negotiating with Russia.

This is the first time in decades that the US has exported anti-personnel mines - a controversial weapon because of the risk of civilian casualties. However, the mines sent to Ukraine are "non-persistent" types, with a self-destruct system that will not pose a long-term danger to civilians.

Cao Phong (according to Reuters, CNN)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/chinh-quyen-sap-man-nhiem-my-doc-goi-vien-tro-lon-cho-ukraine-post323935.html