WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States is expected to announce that it will send $1.25 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, U.S. officials said Friday, as the Biden administration pushes to get as much aid to Kyiv as possible before leaving office on Jan. 20.
The large package of aid includes a significant amount of munitions, including for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems and the HAWK air defense system. It also will provide Stinger missiles and 155 mm- and 105 mm artillery rounds, officials said.
The officials, who said they expect the announcement to be made on Monday, spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public.
The new aid comes as Russia has launched a barrage of attacks against Ukraine’s power facilities in recent days, although Ukraine has said it intercepted a significant number of the missiles and drones. Russian and Ukrainian forces are also still in a bitter battle around the Russian border region of Kursk, where Moscow has sent thousands of North Korean troops to help reclaim territory taken by Ukraine.
Earlier this month, senior defense officials acknowledged that that the Defense Department may not be able to send all of the remaining $5.6 billion in Pentagon weapons and equipment stocks passed by Congress for Ukraine before President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in.
Trump has talked about getting some type of negotiated settlement between Ukraine and Russia, and spoken about his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Many U.S. and European leaders are concerned that it might result in a poor deal for Ukraine and they worry that he won't provide Ukraine with all the weapons funding approved by Congress.
The aid in the new package is in presidential drawdown authority, which allows the Pentagon to take weapons off the shelves and send them quickly to Ukraine. This latest assistance would reduce the remaining amount to about $4.35 billion.
Officials have said they hope that an influx of aid will help strengthen Ukraine’s hand, should Zelenskyy decide it’s time to negotiate.
One senior defense official said that while the U.S. will continue to provide weapons to Ukraine until Jan. 20, there may well be funds remaining that will be available for the incoming Trump administration to spend.
According to the Pentagon, there is also about $1.2 billion remaining in longer-term funding through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which is used to pay for weapons contracts that would not be delivered for a year or more. Officials have said the administration anticipates releasing all of that money before the end of the calendar year.
If the new package is included, the U.S. has provided more than $64 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022.
A Ukrainian AS-90 self-propelled artillery vehicle fires towards Russian positions at the frontline on Pokrovsk direction, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Brayden McNabb and Jack Eichel scored pivotal short-handed goals just seconds apart in the third period, and Alex Pietrangelo had three assists as the Vegas Golden Knights beat the San Jose Sharks 6-3 on Friday night.
Noah Hanifin, Mark Stone, Pavel Dorofeyev and Brett Howden each had a goal for the Golden Knights, who scored four unanswered in the third.
The Sharks were led by rookie Will Smith, who had a goal and an assist. Shakir Mukhamadullin and Tyler Toffoli also scored.
San Jose led 3-2 early in the third and was on a power play, but Vegas quickly seized the momentum when McNabb tied it at 1:03 and Eichel scored the go-ahead goal 23 seconds later.
The Sharks broke a 2-all tie late in the second when Toffoli scored his team-leading 14th goal on a bank shot from behind the net. Toffoli’s shot ricocheted off the back of Vegas defenseman Nicolas Hague’s skate and slid past goalie Adin Hill.
Hill made 22 saves and Alexandar Georgiev turned back 30 shots for San Jose.
Vegas took over in the third period for its season-best fifth straight victory and ninth in 10 games.
San Jose held its own for a while against one of the NHL’s top teams, but then collapsed late. The rebuilding Sharks have lost five straight games, eight of their last nine and 12 of 14.
The Sharks played a video tribute before the game to mark Tomas Hertl’s return to San Jose for the first time since the team traded the two-time All-Star forward to Vegas this year. Hertl played parts of 11 seasons in San Jose after the Sharks selected him 17th overall in the 2012 draft. He helped lead the team to the final round of the 2019 Western Conference playoffs.
Mukhamadullin’s first NHL goal was his second career point. The 22-year-old defenseman acquired from New Jersey last year in the Timo Meier trade was playing in his ninth game.
Vegas hosts Calgary on Sunday night. San Jose hosts the Flames on Saturday night.
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini, right, fouls Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini (71) moves the puck while being defended by Vegas Golden Knights defensemen Shea Theodore (27) and Brayden McNabb during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Vegas Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl gestures while being introduced before an NHL hockey game against the San Jose Sharks, Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill, left, stops the shot by San Jose Sharks center Luke Kunin (11) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
San Jose Sharks goaltender Alexandar Georgiev (40) blocks a shot by Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore (27) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Vegas Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl gestures while being introduced before an NHL hockey game against the San Jose Sharks, Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
San Jose Sharks center Will Smith, top left, and Vegas Golden Knights right wing Keegan Kolesar (55) collide during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
