US announces $8 billion in Ukraine aid

Biden announced that the US will send $7.9bn (£5.9bn) worth of military aid to Ukraine in a surge of assistance as his presidency nears its end.

The aid, part of a $61bn package that passed Congress in April, includes additional Patriot air defence missiles and long-range munitions.

The weapons package will be approved through presidential drawdown authority and will pull from existing Pentagon supplies to deliver the arms more quickly.

Congressional Republicans blocked the Biden administration's $61bn military package for months earlier this year, before ultimately relenting and passing the legislation in April. Before that, arms supplies to Ukraine had dried up for several month

The US has been the largest foreign donor to Ukraine, with $56bn provided for its defence to date.