Today: 5 August 2025
27 December 2023
2 mins read

Blinken Announces Final 2023 Arms Package for Ukraine

In his statement, Blinken reiterated the urgent need for Congress to get their work done…reports Asian Lite News

The US State Department has announced this year’s final package of weapons and equipment to aid Ukraine, exhausting existing funding still at the Joe Biden administration’s disposal.

The arms and equipment in the package are worth up to $250 million and are being provided “under previously directed drawdowns for Ukraine”, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on Wednesday.

“Capabilities provided in today’s package include air defence munitions, other air defence system components, additional ammunition for high mobility artillery rocket systems, 155mm and 105mm artillery ammunition, anti-armour munitions, and over 15 million rounds of ammunition,” Blinken was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.

Assistance packages such as this just-announced one fall under the Presidential Drawdown Authority, which allows weapons to be pulled directly from the stocks of the Department of Defense so that they can be delivered to Ukraine in a swift manner.

The US has already used up funds from another form of assistance for Ukraine, the congressionally-appropriated Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which enables the Department of Defense to purchase weapons for Kiev by signing contracts with arms manufacturers.

In his statement, Blinken reiterated the urgent need for Congress to get their work done. “It is imperative that Congress act swiftly, as soon as possible, to advance our national security interests by helping Ukraine defend itself and secure its future,” he said.

Warning that the funding Congress previously approved for providing assistance to Ukraine would soon dry up, the Biden administration said last week that lacking lawmakers’ renewed commitment to further appropriation meeting the White House’s over 60-billion-dollar supplemental budget request for Ukraine, the administration would be able to announce but one additional package for Kiev before year’s end.

“We are still planning one more aid package to Ukraine later this month,” John Kirby, the National Security Council’s Coordinator for Strategic Communications, told reporters on December 18.

“However, when that one’s done … we will have no more replenishment authority available to us, and we’re going to need Congress to act without delay, as we have been saying,” Kirby said.

On Capitol Hill, Republicans are withholding their votes for new money for Ukraine, conditioning their approval on Democrats making a compromise to satisfy the GOP’s demand for tighter control measures on the border to keep incoming migrants at bay.

Since the Russia-Ukraine conflict broke out in February 2022, the US has committed more than $44.2 billion in military aid to Ukraine, the Pentagon said in a fact sheet published on Wednesday.

ALSO READ-Ukraine Boosts Ammunition and Missile Production

Previous Story

Ukraine Boosts Ammunition and Missile Production

Next Story

Russia bats for India’s permanent seat at UNSC

Latest from -Top News

US Mulls Terror Tag for Muslim Brotherhood

The US’ plan to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist group comes after a bipartisan bill was introduced by Republican Congressman…reports Asian Lite News The US is once again edging closer

Hamas Sets Terms For Disarmament

HAMAS: ‘The resistance and its weapons will not be abandoned until our full national rights are restored, foremost among which is the establishment of an independent, fully sovereign Palestinian state’ Hamas affirmed

Statehood For Palestine

Analysts see the general move as a deliberate push to revive a stagnant peace process long controlled by Israel, Hamas and the United States, all of whom, they say, have shown little

IBPC Dubai charts new growth path

Former Tata Motors CEO Ravi Kant headlines exclusive event as Indian business council sets course for transformation….reports Asian Lite News The Indian Business & Professional Council (IBPC) Dubai has signalled a significant

Miles in the Malls!

Dubai Mallathon kicks off today – The emirate’s biggest malls transform into indoor fitness arenas, inviting residents to walk, run, and win — all while staying cool, healthy, and community-connected….reports Asian Lite
Go toTop