Biden to announce $750 million military aid package for Ukraine

President Biden’s administration is expected to approve an additional $750 million in military assistance to Ukraine that will include Howitzer artillery, a source confirmed to The Hill. 

The new aid package comes as Ukrainian forces are preparing for Russia to concentrate its forces in an assault on the east of the country after being pushed back from around the capital city of Kyiv. 

It’s not clear precisely when Biden plans to announce the new assistance. The president has nothing on his public schedule on Wednesday. 

The White House did not respond to a request for information. 

However, Biden later spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “to update him on ongoing U.S. support for Ukraine,” the White House said, a potential sign a new announcement of assistance was imminent. The two leaders spoke by phone for almost an hour.

The new assistance, which was first reported by Reuters, comes as Ukrainian officials are pleading for more military help to fend off a barrage of Russian attacks. 

“Arm Ukraine now to defend freedom,” Zelensky said in a video message posted in English Wednesday.

Russia has shifted its war aims in recent days, pulling back troops from Kyiv after Moscow was unable to capture the city. U.S. and Ukrainian officials say they anticipate Russia will now focus its attention on southern and eastern areas of Ukraine.  

The new $750 million in assistance is on top of $1.7 billion in security assistance provided by the U.S. since Russia launched its assault on Ukraine on Feb. 24 and the $2.4 billion since the beginning of the Biden administration. 

The Department of Defense last week said it has provided the Ukrainians with thousands of pieces of anti-aircraft and anti-armor munitions, including Stinger and Javelin missiles; hundreds of Switchblade drones, which act as remote-controlled missiles; laser-guided rocket systems; and 50 million rounds of ammunition. 

The administration has also sent Ukrainian forces detection equipment to warn against a chemical weapons attack, personal protective equipment and medical supplies to treat potential victims. 

Congress approved $13.6 billion in Ukraine-related assistance as part of a massive government funding bill signed into law in March.

In addition to providing security, humanitarian and economic assistance to Ukraine, the U.S. and its allies have also ratcheted up sanctions on Russian banks and officials in response to the invasion that began almost seven weeks ago. 

Biden has also escalated his rhetoric against Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of committing genocide in Ukraine during a speech in Iowa on Tuesday. 

“It’s become clearer and clearer that Putin is just trying to wipe out the idea of being Ukrainian,” Biden told reporters following the event, elaborating on his comments. “The evidence is mounting.”

–Updated at 10:09 a.m.