WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden's administration is preparing a $725 million weapons package for Ukraine, two U.S. officials said on Wednesday, as the outgoing president seeks to bolster the government in Kyiv before leaving office in January.
According to an official familiar with the plan, the Biden administration plans to provide a variety of anti-tank weapons from U.S. stocks to blunt Russia's advancing troops, including land mines, drones, Stinger missiles and ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS).
The package is also expected to include cluster munitions, which are typically found in Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) rockets fired by HIMARS launchers, according to the notification, seen by Reuters.
The formal notification to Congress of the weapons package could come as soon as Monday, one official said.
The contents and size of the package could change in the coming days ahead of Biden's expected signature.
It marks a steep uptick in size from Biden's recent use of so-called Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), which allows the U.S. to draw from current weapons stocks to help allies in an emergency.
Recent PDA announcements have typically ranged from $125 million to $250 million. Biden has an estimated $4 billion to $5 billion in PDA already authorized by Congress that he is expected to use before Republican President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20.
The United States has not exported landmines in decades, and their use is controversial because of the potential harm to civilians. Although more than 160 countries have signed a treaty banning their use, Kyiv has been asking for them since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in early 2022 and Russian forces have used them on the front lines.
The landmines that would be sent to Ukraine are "non-persistent" landmines, with a power system that lasts for just a short time, leaving the devices non-lethal. This means that - unlike older landmines - they would not remain in the ground, threatening civilians indefinitely.
Russian forces currently are making gains in Ukraine at the fastest rate since the early days of the 2022 invasion, taking an area half the size of London over the past month, analysts and war bloggers said this week.
The United States expects Ukraine to use the mines in its own territory, though it has committed not to use them in areas populated with its own civilians.
Trump on Wednesday tapped Keith Kellogg, a retired lieutenant general who presented him with a plan to end the war in Ukraine, to serve as special envoy for the conflict. Quickly winding down the Ukraine war was one of Trump's central campaign promises, though he has avoided discussing how he would do so.
The Southern Air Command of Ukraine reported on December 25 that air defense forces had destroyed 11 enemy targets in the Kherson region. Among the destroyed targets was a Russian cruise missile.
South Korea has detected North Korea’s plans to expand military support to Russia, including deploying troops and supplying advanced weapons like suicide drones, raising alarms over global security dynamics.
Switzerland aligns with EU sanctions on Russia and Belarus, freezing assets, banning vessels, and targeting entities linked to military trade and stolen Ukrainian grain.
The EU has pledged an additional €30 billion in financial aid to Ukraine for 2025, while also addressing the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis in Brussels talks.
A Moscow court has ordered a suspect in the killing of Russian General Igor Kirillov to pre-trial detention, alleging the attack was directed by Ukraine's SBU security service.
A last-minute shopping surge and heavy discounts drove U.S. holiday sales higher than expected, rising 3.8% from last year, according to Mastercard SpendingPulse.
Flights from Baku to several Russian cities are suspended from December 28 due to safety concerns. Affected passengers can request a full refund or free ticket exchange.
Local authorities have confirmed that two sailors were killed in the sailor race, marking the first loss of life in this prestigious ocean race since 1998.
AZAL has released the crew list for flight J2-8243, which crashed in Aktau today.
Farid Huseynov, Head of the AZAL Press Department, has confirmed that a total of 67 people were on board the plane involved in the recent incident, including 62 passengers and 5 crew members.
Local authorities have confirmed that two sailors were killed in the sailor race, marking the first loss of life in this prestigious ocean race since 1998.
The power station for Yemen TV stations in Hodeidah and at Sanaa International Airport was struck by Israel, targeting multiple sites linked to the Iran-aligned Houthi movement.
Incumbent Zoran Milanovic and ruling party-backed Dragan Primorac are set for a runoff after Sunday’s presidential election, with Milanovic leading in early polls.
Russia warns of potential nuclear testing amid strained U.S. ties, citing Trump's past stance on the CTBT and heightened global tensions.
A last-minute shopping surge and heavy discounts drove U.S. holiday sales higher than expected, rising 3.8% from last year, according to Mastercard SpendingPulse.
Flights from Baku to several Russian cities are suspended from December 28 due to safety concerns. Affected passengers can request a full refund or free ticket exchange.
Local authorities have confirmed that two sailors were killed in the sailor race, marking the first loss of life in this prestigious ocean race since 1998.
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