STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
The White House says it's going to send nearly $6 billion in military and budget aid to Ukraine, likely the last delivery from the Biden administration. And it comes while Russia bombards Ukraine over the holiday season. Here's NPR international affairs correspondent Jackie Northam.
JACKIE NORTHAM, BYLINE: In a statement, President Biden said he directed his administration to surge as much assistance as it can as quickly as it can. Nearly $2.5 billion will go towards weapons, including artillery, rockets, air defense and other critical weapons systems. In addition, the Treasury Department released $3.4 billion in budget aid. It'll be used for improving and strengthening government, law enforcement, paying government salaries and the like in Ukraine - all this just weeks before a new administration is ushered in.
JOHN HERBST: A clear goal of the administration has been to deliver as much as possible of the aid package passed last spring before they leave office.
NORTHAM: John Herbst is a former ambassador to Ukraine, now with the Atlantic Council. He says there are wide concerns that incoming President Trump will cut off military aid to Ukraine. Herbst doesn't believe that will happen, but he says there's no question Trump's approach to Ukraine will be very different from Biden's. Trump has claimed he could end the conflict within 24 hours of taking office.
HERBST: We know one thing, I think, for sure, which is that incoming administration going to push hard to get a peace negotiation going and to reach a deal on ending the war. How they go about it remains very much a question.
NORTHAM: The U.S. has spent roughly $175 billion in assistance to Ukraine since Russia invaded almost three years ago. Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on Monday thanked Biden for the critical contribution.
Jackie Northam, NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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