WASHINGTON — U.S. President Joe Biden announced over $8 billion in military aid for Ukraine on Thursday during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s visit to Washington. The aid package includes the first shipment of the Joint Standoff Weapon, a precision-guided bomb with a range of up to 130 km, enhancing Ukraine’s ability to strike Russian forces from safer distances.
Biden’s announcement signals a continued U.S. commitment to helping Ukraine “win this war” against Russia, which invaded in February 2022. The package consists of $5.5 billion allocated before the U.S. fiscal year ends on Monday and $2.4 billion under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which allows the purchase of weapons directly from companies.
The assistance includes additional air defense systems, unmanned aerial systems, and air-to-ground munitions. The U.S. will also provide Ukraine with a refurbished Patriot air defense battery and expand training for Ukrainian F-16 pilots.
Despite bipartisan support for Ukraine’s defense, some Republicans have criticized Zelenskiy’s visit, including former President Donald Trump, who blamed Zelenskiy and the Biden administration for the ongoing conflict. Trump declined a request to meet with Zelenskiy, while House Speaker Mike Johnson demanded the firing of Ukraine’s ambassador to Washington over Zelenskiy’s recent visit to a munitions factory in Scranton, Pennsylvania.