US President Joe Biden asked the Department of Defense to expedite the delivery of weapons to Ukraine after Russia launched an air attack Christmas Day attack on the energy infrastructure of its smaller neighbour.

Biden’s comments on Wednesday come as his administration scrambles to send military aid to Ukraine before the president-elect. Donald Trump’s inauguration On January 20th. Here’s a look at what the US has committed to Ukraine since Trump’s election in November, and why Biden is rushing to get money and supplies to Ukraine.

What is the Christmas attack on Ukraine?

Russia attacked Ukraine on Wednesday with drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles. At least six people were injured in the attack in Kharkiv and one was killed in Dnipropetrovsk, according to local authorities.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia “deliberately chose Christmas” to launch an attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

“What could be more inhumane?” Zelensky asked in an X post on Wednesday.

Ukraine – which previously celebrated Christmas according to the Orthodox calendar, like Russia, on January 7 – has celebrated it for the past two years during Russia’s war on the country on December 25, like the West.

Keith KelloggTrump’s pick to be his special envoy for the Ukraine war condemned the attack, saying: “Christmas should be a time for peace, and yet Ukraine was brutally attacked on Christmas Day,” adding that the United States was committed to bringing peace to Ukraine. .

Every massive Russian strike requires time to prepare. It is never a spontaneous decision. It is a deliberate choice – not only of goals, but also of timing and date.

Today, Putin deliberately chose Christmas to launch an attack. What could be more inhumane? More than 70 missiles… pic.twitter.com/GMD8rTomoX

— Volodymyr Zelensky / Volodymyr Zelensky (@ZelenskyyUa) December 25, 2024

What did Biden say?

Biden issued a statement on Wednesday condemning the Russian attack.

“The purpose of this terrible attack is to cut off access to heating and electricity to the Ukrainian people during the winter and to jeopardize the integrity of their network,” the statement read.

The statement added: “In recent months, the United States has supplied Ukraine with hundreds of air defense missiles, and more are on the way. I have directed the Department of Defense to continue increasing arms shipments to Ukraine.

This promise is the latest of many that Biden has made since Trump’s Winning the elections Against Biden’s running mate Kamala Harris. Since then, the Biden administration has rushed to send military support to Ukraine before Trump takes office.

How much aid did Ukraine receive from the United States?

According to a fact sheet published by the White House on December 2, the United States has pledged $61.4 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the start of the full-scale war launched by Russia on February 24, 2022.

On December 2, the Biden administration announced a $725 million military aid package that includes munitions, surface-to-air missile systems, small arms, spare parts, and demolition equipment. This was sent by the Presidential Drag Authority (PDA), approved by the US Congress.

The United States pledged $988 million in military aid To Ukraine on December 7. This package included drones and ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS)Which the United States provided to Ukraine earlier. Instead of PDA, this was sent from the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI).

Then, on December 12, Secretary of State Antony Blinken unveil A $500 million military aid package to Kiev, including HIMARS munitions, drones and armored vehicles. This was also sent from the PDA.

How much additional military aid could Biden send to Ukraine?

With Republicans controlling both houses of the new Congress, which will take office at the beginning of the year, Biden, a Democrat, is unlikely to be able to secure approvals for new funding for Ukraine. Trump and many Republicans loyal to him have made clear that they oppose what they describe as a “blank check” regarding funding for Ukraine.

Even without additional endorsements, Biden still has a sizable pool of money that his administration plans to tap to get as much aid to Ukraine as possible before the 82-year-old hands over the keys of the White House to Trump.

As of late November, there was $4 billion to $5 billion remaining in PDA. Even with $1.5 billion of the amount Biden later committed to, the outgoing president has a large source of money to try to reach Ukraine.

From August 2022 to December 12 of this year, the Biden administration used the PDA 55 times to send aid to Ukraine.

In addition, there is still about $2.2 billion under the USAID umbrella for Biden to use.

Why is the Biden administration rushing to send aid to Ukraine?

Trump did He doubted US financial intervention in Ukraine

During a campaign event in Georgia in September, Trump said, “Every time Zelensky comes to the United States, he walks out with $100 billion,” citing a made-up statistic.

“We are stuck in that war unless I become president,” he said at the rally.

The president-elect has said he wants to end the war in Ukraine immediately, raising concerns that he could cut off support for Kiev once in office.

On December 13, John Kirby, US national security spokesman, said that Biden “will continue to provide additional packages through the end of this administration.”