Washington reaches arms aid target for Ukraine as Trump era looms

According to Defense Express, the U.S. announced a new arms assistance package to Ukraine under the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), with a total value of $500 million. The package includes:

• Ammunition for HIMARS, 155- and 105-mm artillery, HARM anti-radar missiles
• Unspecified UAVs and anti-drone ammunition
• Javelin and TOW ATGMs, AT-4 grenade launchers
• Small arms ammunition, demining and CBRN equipment, spare parts, etc.
• Unnamed MRAPs, HMMWVs and other light tactical vehicles

This package also demonstrates that Washington is getting closer to the required pace of arms deliveries, which will allow the remaining funds in the aid program to be used before January 20, 2025 - the inauguration of Donald Trump.

In the last 22 days, three packages totaling $1.5 billion have been announced under the PDA. Currently, the PDA program has $2.8 billion allocated for 2024, with an additional $2.8 billion due to a "bookkeeping error," the expenditure of which remains in question as the Pentagon continues to account for it under the old system.

If the U.S. continues at the same pace, spending about $70 million per day, they will manage to allocate the remaining $2.8 billion by January 20, 2025. This, of course, means the "error" may remain unresolved, but the entire allocated budget for 2024 could still be converted into military aid for Ukraine. Alternatively, if the goal is to allocate all available funds, the U.S. would need to double the pace.

It's also worth noting that under another aid program, USAI, which involves purchasing weapons from manufacturers, a package worth nearly $1 billion was allocated on December 7. This leaves a remaining balance of $1.2 billion in the USAI program.