WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States is poised to unveil $500 million in military assistance for Ukraine on Thursday during what is expected to be the final assembly of President Joe Biden’s weapons pledging conferences. Ukrainian officials in Kyiv have underscored the significance of these meetings for their country’s defense against Russia.
The Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG), consisting of roughly 50 allies who typically convene every few months at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, was established in 2022 by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to expedite and coordinate the delivery of arms to Kyiv. Nevertheless, the group’s future hangs in the balance with President-elect Donald Trump scheduled to assume office on January 20. Trump’s advisers have purportedly put forth plans to resolve the conflict in Ukraine that entail relinquishing sizable portions of the nation to Russia for the foreseeable future.
Washington has already allocated in excess of $63.5 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia’s incursion, and an additional $500 million aid package could be declared later today, according to an anonymous U.S. official.
The defense leaders are set to convene at Ramstein Air Base for the 25th UDCG meeting on Thursday. A senior U.S. defense official, speaking anonymously, expressed that the group is not set to disband. Rather, the incoming administration is welcomed and encouraged to continue steering the 50-country coalition forward. “It will endure in some capacity, in some form going forward, I believe, regardless of exactly how the next team does or doesn’t pursue it,” the official stated.
Once Trump assumes office, he will have access to several billion dollars in allocated funds that could be utilized to address Ukraine’s military requirements. The Thursday meeting is anticipated to endorse strategic plans for Ukraine’s military needs and objectives up to 2027.
The United Nations reported that over 12,300 civilians have lost their lives in the Ukraine conflict since Russia’s invasion nearly three years ago. The surge in casualties is attributed to the deployment of drones, long-range missiles, and glide bombs.
On Tuesday, Ukraine declared that its forces were initiating new offensive actions in Russia’s western Kursk region. Ukraine had seized a part of the Kursk region in a surprise offensive last August and managed to hold onto the territory for five months, despite some territorial losses.
The intensification of hostilities in the Kursk region is unfolding at a pivotal juncture for Ukraine, where its undermanned and outgunned troops are grappling to fend off Russian incursions in the east.
(Reporting by Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart; Editing by David Gregorio)
