Biden is rushing aid to Ukraine as everyone braces for Trump
FILE-President Joe Biden (L) and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (R) participate at an event launching the Ukraine Compact at the 2024 NATO Summit on July 11, 2024 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
President Joe Biden is distributing billions of dollars more in military aid before U.S. support for Kyiv’s defenses is questioned under President-elect Donald Trump’s new administration.
Ukraine officials are aware of Trump's upcoming presidency and the risk of losing the U.S. as its biggest supporter.
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According to the Associated Press, the Biden administration is providing as many resources as possible to bolster Ukraine's defenses before the president leaves office in six weeks, as he announced over $2 billion in extra aid since Trump won the presidential election in November.
Biden’s administration is on track to give the U.S. portion of a $50 billion loan to Ukraine, with U.S. officials telling the AP that the U.S. and Ukraine are discussing terms of the loan and are close to carrying out the $20 billion of the larger loan that the U.S. is backing.
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To date, the U.S. has sent a total of $62 billion in military aid since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
Trump, who has long spoken favorably of Russian President Vladimir Putin and described Zelenskyy as a "showman," called for an immediate ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia.
The AP noted that Ukraine’s supporters worry that the immediate ceasefire Trump is calling for would be mostly on Putin’s terms and allow the Russian leader to resume the war when his military has recovered.