U.S. provides additional weapons to Ukraine as Biden urges Congress to approve more funding

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Wednesday announced an additional package of military aid to Ukraine to support the country amid its conflict with Russia, as President Joe Biden urged Congress to approve his supplemental budget request containing further funding for Kiev.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement that the newly announced assistance was worth 175 million U.S. dollars, providing arms and equipment from the Department of Defense weapons inventories under previously directed drawdowns.

Weapons and equipment in the package included "air defense munitions, additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rockets Systems, artillery ammunition, High-speed munitions for obstacle clearing, equipment to protect critical national infrastructure, and spare parts, ancillary equipment, services, training, and transportation," Blinken said.

Also on Wednesday, Biden urged Congress to approve a supplemental budget request he proposed in October, which included 61.4 billion dollars in additional funding for Ukraine.

"This cannot wait," Biden said when delivering a televised speech from the White House. "Congress needs to pass supplemental funding for Ukraine before they break for the holiday recess."

A vote on the supplemental budget request, which also includes aid to support Israel's conflict with Hamas, is expected on the Senate floor on Wednesday, but Republicans are poised to derail Democratic effort to pass the bill, arguing that there must be adequate measures tightening border security to pair with foreign aid.

The House of Representatives has already rejected the holistic supplemental budget request, approving the 14.3-billion-dollar assistance for Israel as a standalone bill by diverting funds originally intended for the Internal Revenue Service. The House bill was dismissed by both the Senate and the White House.

In a letter to leaders of both chambers of Congress on Monday, White House Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young warned that the Biden administration will run out of money to arm and provide economic assistance to Ukraine if Congress stands idly by.

"We are out of money -- and nearly out of time," Young wrote in the letter.