US ramps up military aid to Ukraine ahead of Trump’s inauguration

The Biden administration is ramping up military aid to Ukraine and tightening sanctions on Russia in a last-minute push to strengthen Kyiv's position before Donald Trump’s upcoming inauguration, according to US National Security Council sources.

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met with Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian president’s office, for over an hour on December 5, committing to an unprecedented wave of support, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media. 

The aid package, slated for delivery by mid-January, includes hundreds of thousands of artillery shells, thousands of rockets, and hundreds of armoured vehicles. Additionally, the US has pledged to train Ukrainian troops at foreign locations and finalize $20 billion in loans backed by profits from immobilized Russian sovereign assets.

To further weaken Moscow’s war effort, Washington is preparing sweeping new sanctions aimed at complicating Russia’s ability to sustain its military operations. These measures, officials say, are designed to strengthen Ukraine’s negotiating position in any future peace talks.

This escalation comes amid uncertainty about the direction of US policy on Ukraine after Trump takes office next month. According to Reuters, Trump’s team is reportedly developing a peace proposal that could include concessions to Russia, such as abandoning NATO membership for Ukraine and ceding significant territories—a dramatic shift from the current administration’s stance. Trump has repeatedly claimed he could end the war in 24 hours.

Ukrainian officials, including Yermak and Ambassador Oksana Markarova, are working to maintain bipartisan support, meeting this week with Trump transition team members, including potential National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Trump’s Russia-Ukraine envoy pick, Keith Kellogg. The discussions aim to ensure continued US backing for Ukraine despite the incoming administration’s differing views.

The urgency is underscored by House Speaker Mike Johnson’s recent decision to block a vote on $24 billion in additional Ukraine aid. Nevertheless, the Pentagon has committed $725 million in military assistance this week, marking the largest shipment since April. 

By Vugar Khalilov