US prepares $8 billion in arms aid packages for Zelenskiy visit, sources say

SUMMARY

The U.S. is set to announce over $8 billion in military assistance for Ukraine during President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's visit to Washington on Thursday, according to two U.S. officials. The Biden administration has been in urgent talks with Congress to ensure the use of $5.6 billion in aid for Ukraine before the authority expires on September 30, the end of the fiscal year. A second announcement, expected the same day, will involve $2.4 billion in aid under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which allows the U.S. to purchase weapons for Ukraine from private companies, rather than using its own military stockpile. The assistance package aims to bolster Ukraine's defense efforts as it continues its fight against Russia's advances.