On Wednesday, President Joe Biden announced an additional $500 million in military aid for Ukraine as devastating wildfires ravage Los Angeles, leaving thousands displaced and homes destroyed.
The Associated Press reports that the Biden administration is rushing to provide Ukraine with $500 million worth of weapons drawn from existing U.S. stockpiles.
According to U.S. officials, this move aims to bolster Kyiv’s position ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is expected to announce the package during his final meeting with the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, a coalition of approximately 50 partner nations formed to coordinate military support for Ukraine.
This gathering, the 25th since the group’s inception, may be its last, as the future of such efforts under Trump remains uncertain.
This announcement comes on the heels of a $1.25 billion weapons package Biden approved last month while vacationing in St. Croix.
Since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the U.S. has contributed nearly $175 billion in aid to Ukraine, with much of it allocated to military support.
Critics have voiced concerns about the administration’s priorities, particularly as Americans grapple with economic hardship, inflation, and a worsening crisis at the southern border. The Council on Foreign Relations highlights the scale of U.S. assistance to Ukraine, noting that Congress has passed five bills allocating $175 billion in total aid since the war began.
Simultaneously, California is battling a catastrophic wildfire crisis that has forced over 70,000 residents to evacuate. The Pacific Palisades fire has destroyed more than 1,000 homes and decimated communities, leaving families displaced and lives upended.
Images and videos shared on social media depict the devastating aftermath: beachfront homes reduced to ashes, businesses destroyed, and entire neighborhoods unrecognizable.
“Total destruction in Malibu. These were beachfront homes on Pacific Coast Highway,” tweeted journalist Liz Kreutz.
“This is what’s left of the Pacific Palisades. The mall survived. Most everything else is gone—homes, apartment complexes, businesses,” wrote CBS correspondent Jonathan Vigliotti.
Despite the scale of the disaster, President Biden’s response has been limited to a social media post assuring the public that he is being “frequently briefed” on the situation.
“I am being frequently briefed on the wildfires in west Los Angeles. My team and I are in touch with state and local officials, and I have offered any federal assistance that is needed,” Biden wrote on Twitter.