Biden announces $425 million security aid package for Ukraine

President Biden on Wednesday discussed U.S. support for Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression during a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and announced a new $425 million military aid package.

Included in the package are additional air defense capabilities, air-to-ground munitions, armored vehicles and munitions, the White House said in a readout of the president’s call. 

“President Zelenskyy updated President Biden on his plan to achieve victory over Russia, and the two leaders tasked their teams to engage in further consultations on next steps,” the statement read.

The call follows Zelensky publicly detailing in Kyiv his plan for Ukraine’s victory against Russia in the more than two-year war, saying international support through military assistance, intelligence sharing and political commitments are key to ending the war “no later than next year.”

Biden, in his call with the Ukrainian leader, discussed how the U.S. will provide a range of additional military capabilities over the coming months, according to the White House. In September, Biden announced he would distribute $8 billion in assistance to Ukraine before the end of his presidential term in January. 

The president was forced to announce the multibillion-dollar aid package all at once after Congress failed to take up his request to provide an extension to a Sept. 30 deadline on the use of the funds. 

“In the coming months, the United States will provide Ukraine with a range of additional capabilities, including hundreds of air defense interceptors, dozens of tactical air defense systems, additional artillery systems, significant quantities of ammunition, hundreds of armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles, and thousands of additional armored vehicles, all of which will help to equip Ukraine’s armed forces,” the White House said. 

The call also comes as Biden is set to travel to Germany on Thursday, rescheduling a visit to Europe that was sidelined after Hurricane Milton struck the U.S. A leader-level meeting of the Ramstein group, the consortium of 50-plus nations providing military support for Ukraine, was postponed after the president canceled his travel.

Biden, in his call with Zelensky, committed to holding in November a virtual, leader-level meeting of the Ramstein group, called the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, where the leaders will coordinate with international partners on additional assistance for Ukraine.