Biden Won’t Push Congress for More Ukraine Aid Before Trump’s Inauguration

President Joe Biden has decided not to ask Congress for more money to help Ukraine. Instead, he is focusing on using the military aid that has already been approved. With his time as president ending soon, Biden is working quickly to send as much help as possible before President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January.

The Biden administration is rushing to send over $7 billion in military equipment to Ukraine. The Pentagon says there is more than $9 billion still available to use. A senior official told USA TODAY, “We are focused on using the resources we already have to give Ukraine the best support we can.”

This week, the U.S. allowed Ukraine to use long-range missiles for the first time. These missiles can hit targets nearly 200 miles away, giving Ukraine a big advantage in its fight against Russia.

Biden’s urgency comes from worries that Ukraine may not get the same level of support under Trump’s leadership. Trump has criticized U.S. aid to Ukraine and said he would negotiate directly with Russia to end the war, raising fears about what might happen next.

Congress needs to approve new government spending by December 20 to avoid a shutdown. More Ukraine aid could be included in those talks, but some Republican leaders, like House Speaker Mike Johnson, want to wait until Trump takes office. Senator Marco Rubio also said there isn’t much interest in discussing Ukraine funding right now.

Senator Ben Cardin, a Democrat, said Biden’s administration is doing everything it can before time runs out. “Even if more aid was approved, there wouldn’t be enough time to deliver it all,” Cardin said. “I’m worried about what will happen under the Trump administration, but I think there is still bipartisan support for Ukraine.”

Biden’s Focus

At the G20 Summit in Brazil, Biden emphasized U.S. support for Ukraine, saying, “The United States strongly supports Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.” However, Biden asked Congress for $100 billion in disaster relief instead of more money for Ukraine.

Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer explained that Biden’s main goal is to make Ukraine as strong as possible before his term ends. “We are focused on sending as much aid and equipment as we can while we still have time,” Finer said.

Trump has said he could end the Russia-Ukraine war “in a day” but hasn’t explained how. He has criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for asking for aid and praised Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Some of Trump’s allies have suggested letting Russia keep the land it has taken, which has raised concerns about what his administration might do.

With only weeks left, Biden’s administration is working hard to send every dollar of approved aid to Ukraine. What happens in the next few months will be crucial for Ukraine’s future and for Biden’s legacy, as U.S. support for Ukraine faces uncertainty under the next administration.