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US Announces 'Final' $250 Million Ukraine Aid Package for 2023

© AFP 2023 / SERGEI SUPINSKYA Ukrainian serviceman is at work to receive the delivery of FGM-148 Javelins, American man-portable anti-tank missile provided by US to Ukraine as part of a military support, at Kiev's airport Borispoil on February 11, 2022.
A Ukrainian serviceman is at work to receive the delivery of FGM-148 Javelins, American man-portable anti-tank missile provided by US to Ukraine as part of a military support, at Kiev's airport Borispoil on February 11, 2022. - Sputnik International, 1920, 27.12.2023
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The latest aid package is part of the US' continued drawdowns via the Foreign Assistance Act, which allows the administration to bypass the congressional greenlight.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Wednesday that Washington would be releasing a "final" military aid package to Ukraine to the tune of up to $250 million.
A release issued by Blinken details that the aid is being pulled from "previously directed drawdowns for Ukraine" and will include a variety of arms such as: air defense munitions, high mobility artillery rocket systems and anti-armor munitions, among over "15 million rounds of ammunitions."
The aid package is just one of over 50 similar drawdown packages provided to the Kiev regime by the Biden administration that bypasses a typically-required congressional clearance by tapping on the Foreign Assistance Act.
Shortly after news broke of the aid drawdown, a published memo from US President Joe Biden to Blinken called on the secretary "to determine whether it is important to the security interests of the United States to furnish up to $20 million in assistance to Ukraine."
The memo cites the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, and effectively "empowers" Blinken to provide a detailed explanation on whether new aid is imperative.

New batches of additional funding have remained frozen amid a congressional standoff over GOP backlash regarding the administration's poor handling of the growing border crisis.

Lawmakers on the hill have suggested that a new funding agreement would be established upon Congress' return from holiday break; however, many insiders have indicated the feat would not be quite as easygoing.

The timing of the announcement comes as Michael McCloud, the comptroller for the US Department of Defense, previously revealed that the Pentagon's Ukraine accounts would be entirely emptied come December 30.
"The Department will not execute these transfers until 15 days have passed following submission of this notification," McCloud said in the letter dated December 15. "Once these funds are obligated, the Department will have exhausted the funding available to us for security assistance to Ukraine."
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Pentagon Warns Congress US Will Run Out of Ukraine Aid Funding by December 30
At that time, McCloud stated the US had only enough funds for one more aid package, which is likely to be the Wednesday-announced assistance.
To date, estimates have indicated the US has spent upwards of $75 billion in Ukraine assistance, with the growing pricetag more than likely to continue skyrocketing. Biden's latest request to Congress include an additional $60 billion for Kiev.
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