The United States has suspended aid to Ukraine pending Congressional approval of new funding, US National Security Adviser John Kirby said on 11 January at a briefing in the White House.
“The assistance we are providing to Ukraine has now stopped. However, the attacks the Russian military is carrying out are only increasing, using North Korean ballistic missiles to do their ‘dirty’ work,” Kirby said.
Ukraine reports first evidence of North Korean missile used by Russia
In early January 2024, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller stated that the US will not support Ukraine’s military funding at the levels of 2022 and 2023, as they see their goal differently, Suspilne reported.
“The goal is to help Ukraine get back on its feet and build a military-industrial base so that the Ukrainian government itself can finance, produce and purchase weapons,” he said.
The US provided the last military aid package “that they had enough money for” on 27 December, according to Kirby. This refers to the $250 million in security assistance, which included air defense capabilities, artillery, antitank weapons, and other equipment.
The US Congress has not agreed on a military aid bill for Ukraine since the fall of 2023. President Joe Biden has proposed a national security bill worth more than $100 billion, including $61 billion to help Ukraine. Republicans didn’t approve the document as they demanded border and migration measures on the US-Mexico border in the bill.
Read also:
- Biden: “Failure to support Ukraine is just absolutely crazy”
- Biden calls on Congress to “stand with Ukraine” as Putin “banking on” US aid failure
- Russia hits 2 million large-caliber munitions yearly; 500k shortfall covered by North Korea
