Biden seeking additional $24B to support Ukraine, replenish US weapons stockpiles

155 mm M795 artillery projectiles are stacked during manufacturing process at the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant in Scranton, Pa., Thursday.[File,VOA]

President Joe Biden has asked Congress for an additional $24 billion to support Ukraine and replenish U.S. weapons stockpiles, two U.S. officials tell VOA, as the administration continued Monday to push out new aid packages from the last congressionally approved funds for Kyiv before Biden leaves office on January 20.

Officials who have seen the administration's request, on condition of anonymity to discuss its details, told VOA, that the new support would include $16 billion to restock U.S. weapons under the Pentagon's presidential drawdown authority (PDA), along with $8 billion to manufacture weapons under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which focuses on supplying Kyiv's long-term defense needs.