The Biden administration plans a $725M weapons package for Ukraine, including drones, HIMARS ammunition, and cluster munitions, as Russian forces gain ground.
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.
A Russian drone attack on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro killed one person and injured six, sparking a fire in a hotel and nearby buildings.
Ukrainian officials stated on Friday that the terms of a proposed mineral deal with the United States remain unsettled, following reports that Washington is seeking all of Ukraine’s natural resource income until wartime aid is repaid.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has accused Vladimir Putin of making empty promises on a Ukraine ceasefire. Speaking at a Paris summit, he emphasized Europe’s role in supporting Ukraine and criticised Russia’s lack of commitment to peace talks, citing its reversal on a Black Sea ceasefire deal.
France pledged €2 billion in military aid to Ukraine as European leaders met in Paris to discuss strengthening Kyiv’s defense and potential roles in future peace talks. The summit, led by Macron and Starmer, focuses on military support, ceasefire monitoring, and Europe’s strategic involvement.
Russian forces carried out a drone attack on Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, late Wednesday, injuring at least twenty one people and causing structural damage, according to Ukrainian officials.
A Russian drone attack on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro killed one person and injured six, sparking a fire in a hotel and nearby buildings.
U.S. President Donald Trump talks with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney for the first time amid trade tensions.
Protesters and police clashed in Nepal leaving two dead and 17 injured as demonstrators rallied to demand the return of the constitutional monarchy.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance criticized Denmark’s handling of Greenland’s security during a visit to the U.S. base at Pituffik.
Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) pilots, monitoring a Chinese navy warship as it navigated Australian waters, were alerted to a live-fire exercise via a civilian radio broadcast, defense officials revealed on Tuesday.
Russian forces carried out a drone attack on Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, late Wednesday, injuring at least twenty one people and causing structural damage, according to Ukrainian officials.
As the world shifts toward clean energy at an ever-accelerating pace, large economies are scrambling to secure reliable supply chains for rare earth minerals. These minerals, once seen as mere industrial components, have become a political tool in the global power struggle
A devastating overnight drone attack on Kyiv, attributed to Russian forces, resulted in the deaths of three people, including a five-year-old child, and left ten others injured.
The Trump administration is importing eggs from Türkiye and South Korea to address shortages and record-high prices caused by a severe bird flu outbreak.
A Russian drone attack on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro killed one person and injured six, sparking a fire in a hotel and nearby buildings.
U.S. President Donald Trump talks with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney for the first time amid trade tensions.
Protesters and police clashed in Nepal leaving two dead and 17 injured as demonstrators rallied to demand the return of the constitutional monarchy.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance criticized Denmark’s handling of Greenland’s security during a visit to the U.S. base at Pituffik.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance visited Greenland’s Pituffik military base amid renewed calls from President Trump for U.S. control of the island. The trip sparked protests, with Greenland’s leader calling it a "lack of respect." Trump insists Greenland is vital for U.S. security and global stability.
A Russian drone attack on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro killed one person and injured six, sparking a fire in a hotel and nearby buildings.
U.S. President Donald Trump talks with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney for the first time amid trade tensions.
Protesters and police clashed in Nepal leaving two dead and 17 injured as demonstrators rallied to demand the return of the constitutional monarchy.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance criticized Denmark’s handling of Greenland’s security during a visit to the U.S. base at Pituffik.
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