Weapons and Cancelled Debts: Biden’s “Final” Gifts to Ukraine

22nd November 2024

2 minutes read

Weapons and Cancelled Debts: Biden’s "Final" Gifts to Ukraine

As his departure from the White House approaches, outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden is racing against time to support Ukraine, a country observers believe will receive less backing from the incoming Republican administration.

Biden has showered Ukraine with generous aid packages, including weapons and financial assistance, notably through the cancellation of billions of dollars in debt.

Military Aid

The U.S. State Department announced a new military aid package for Ukraine worth $275 million as part of the increased security assistance announced by Biden on September 26.

On Wednesday, the Department of Defense unveiled additional security aid to meet Ukraine’s critical security and defense needs.

This announcement marks the 70th batch of equipment provided by the Biden administration from Department of Defense stocks to Ukraine since August 2021.

The package, estimated at around $275 million, will provide Ukraine with additional capabilities to address its most urgent needs, including:

Ammunition for missile and artillery systems.
Anti-tank weapons.

The weapons include:

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Ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS).
155 mm and 105 mm artillery shells.
60 mm and 81 mm mortar rounds.
Aerial systems for drones.
TOW missiles.
Javelin and AT-4 anti-armor systems.
Small arms, ammunition, and demolition equipment.
Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear protection equipment.
Spare parts, support equipment, and transportation services.

Debt Cancellation

Continuing its support, the Biden administration informed Congress of plans to cancel $4.65 billion of Ukraine’s debt, according to a letter obtained by Bloomberg News.

The White House plans to forgive half of a $9 billion loan extended to Ukraine as part of a $60 billion supplemental aid package approved last April.

This is the latest in a series of measures aimed at bolstering support for Kyiv before President-elect Donald Trump assumes office.

The United States has confirmed it will continue working with approximately 50 allies and partners through the Ukraine Defense Contact Group and related capability alliances to meet Ukraine’s urgent battlefield requirements and defend against Russian aggression.