**US Announces $500 Million Aid Package for Ukraine**
The US has announced a $500 million aid package for Ukraine. The package includes air defense missiles, ammunition, and equipment for F-16 fighter jets.
The announcement was made by outgoing US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at the Ramstein summit in Germany. This is expected to be the final US defense aid provided by the Biden administration before Donald Trump takes office on January 20.
**Concerns Over Future Aid**
There are concerns about the future of US support for Ukraine under the incoming Trump administration. President-elect Trump has criticized the Biden administration’s assistance provided to Kyiv in the past.
The changes also cast doubt on the future of the Ramstein-format Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG), a coalition of 57 countries that has been coordinating aid for Ukraine since April 2022.
**Austin’s Address**
Secretary Austin said, “Month after month, members of this Contact Group have helped provide, produce, and sustain the systems and the munitions that Ukraine needs.” He emphasized the importance of continued support for Ukraine, saying, “We must not let up.”
The aid package includes additional missiles for Ukrainian air defense, more ammunition, and equipment to support Ukraine’s F-16s. Around $3.8 billion remains allocated for Ukraine under the presidential drawdown authority.
**UDCG Progress**
Austin highlighted the progress made by the UDCG countries over its two-and-a-half years of existence, including the formation of eight “capability coalitions” led by 14 countries and Ukraine. The outgoing defense secretary emphasized that Ukraine’s fight matters to all of us, saying, “Putin‘s war ‘is a challenge to free people everywhere.'”
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