Reuters reported that the U.S. is preparing a new $988 million aid package for Ukraine

TheUnited States is preparing a new package of financial and military aid to Ukraine worth $988m, Reuters reported on 7 December, citing a document with which the editorial board has familiarized itself.

"According to the document consulted by Reuters, the United States plans to allocate to Ukraine a package of new additional weapons and equipment worth $988 million," the publication said.

The agency pointed out that the allocation of these funds will reduce the balance of finances available under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI). In addition, Reuters drew attention to the desire of the administration of incumbent US President Joe Biden not to use the US army's weapons stocks, but to purchase weapons from industrial enterprises.

Earlier, on December 6, Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder said that the United States has $9 billion left for military aid to Kiev. To be more precise, $2.21bn - as part of the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative and $6.8bn - as part of the PDA program.

On December 4, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that $50bn from the United States and European Union countries would start flowing to Kiev in the coming weeks due to profits from frozen Russian assets.

Ukraine on Dec. 4 signed a memorandum of understanding and a loan agreement with the European Union to attract €35 billion in aid to Kiev, which are part of an initiative by the G7 countries on a mechanism for additional loans to boost Ukraine's budget revenues. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal also reported on November 28 that the EU had signed a memorandum of understanding with Ukraine for the first part of the €18.1bn loan with repayment from the proceeds of frozen Russian assets.

On December 2, the United States said that it would allocate a new $725m military aid package to Ukraine, Blinken said. He noted that the US and more than 50 countries are "united" with Ukraine, so they provide military aid.

Before that, on November 7, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (term expired on May 20) called the assets of the Russian Federation frozen by the West as Ukrainian money. He also urged to find a mechanism to transfer them to Kiev as soon as possible.

Western countries have stepped up military and financial support for Ukraine against the background of the Russian special operation to protect Donbas, the launch of which was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24, 2022, after the situation in the region worsened due to shelling by the Ukrainian military.