<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><edgarSubmission xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/schedule13g" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
  <headerData>
    <submissionType>SCHEDULE 13G</submissionType>
    <filerInfo>
      <filer>
        <filerCredentials>
          <cik>0000011544</cik>
          <ccc>XXXXXXXX</ccc>
        </filerCredentials>
      </filer>
      <liveTestFlag>LIVE</liveTestFlag>



    </filerInfo>
  </headerData>
  <formData>
    <coverPageHeader>
      <securitiesClassTitle>Class A Ordinary Shares, par value $0.0001 per share</securitiesClassTitle>
      <eventDateRequiresFilingThisStatement>06/30/2025</eventDateRequiresFilingThisStatement>
      <issuerInfo>
        <issuerCik>0001853138</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>Ares Acquisition Corporation II</issuerName>
        <issuerCusip>G33033104</issuerCusip>
        <issuerPrincipalExecutiveOfficeAddress>
          <street1 xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">c/o Ares Management LLC</street1>
          <street2 xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">245 Park Avenue, 44th Floor</street2>
          <city xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">New York</city>
          <stateOrCountry xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">NY</stateOrCountry>
          <zipCode xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">10167</zipCode>
        </issuerPrincipalExecutiveOfficeAddress>
      </issuerInfo>
      <designateRulesPursuantThisScheduleFiled>
        <designateRulePursuantThisScheduleFiled>Rule 13d-1(b)</designateRulePursuantThisScheduleFiled>
      </designateRulesPursuantThisScheduleFiled>
    </coverPageHeader>
    <coverPageHeaderReportingPersonDetails>


      <reportingPersonName>W. R. Berkley Corporation</reportingPersonName>
      <citizenshipOrOrganization>DE</citizenshipOrOrganization>
      <reportingPersonBeneficiallyOwnedNumberOfShares>
        <soleVotingPower>0</soleVotingPower>
        <sharedVotingPower>3513649</sharedVotingPower>
        <soleDispositivePower>0</soleDispositivePower>
        <sharedDispositivePower>3513649</sharedDispositivePower>
      </reportingPersonBeneficiallyOwnedNumberOfShares>
      <reportingPersonBeneficiallyOwnedAggregateNumberOfShares>3513649</reportingPersonBeneficiallyOwnedAggregateNumberOfShares>
      <aggregateAmountExcludesCertainSharesFlag>N</aggregateAmountExcludesCertainSharesFlag>
      <classPercent>5.7</classPercent>
      <typeOfReportingPerson>CO</typeOfReportingPerson>
    </coverPageHeaderReportingPersonDetails>
    <coverPageHeaderReportingPersonDetails>

      <reportingPersonName>Berkley Insurance Company</reportingPersonName>
      <citizenshipOrOrganization>DE</citizenshipOrOrganization>
      <reportingPersonBeneficiallyOwnedNumberOfShares>
        <soleVotingPower>0</soleVotingPower>
        <sharedVotingPower>3513649</sharedVotingPower>
        <soleDispositivePower>0</soleDispositivePower>
        <sharedDispositivePower>3513649</sharedDispositivePower>
      </reportingPersonBeneficiallyOwnedNumberOfShares>
      <reportingPersonBeneficiallyOwnedAggregateNumberOfShares>3513649</reportingPersonBeneficiallyOwnedAggregateNumberOfShares>
      <aggregateAmountExcludesCertainSharesFlag>N</aggregateAmountExcludesCertainSharesFlag>
      <classPercent>5.7</classPercent>
      <typeOfReportingPerson>IC</typeOfReportingPerson>
      <typeOfReportingPerson>CO</typeOfReportingPerson>
    </coverPageHeaderReportingPersonDetails>
    <items>
      <item1>
        <issuerName>Ares Acquisition Corporation II</issuerName>
        <issuerPrincipalExecutiveOfficeAddress>c/o Ares Management LLC, 245 Park Avenue, 44th Floor, New York, NY 10167</issuerPrincipalExecutiveOfficeAddress>
      </item1>
      <item2>
        <filingPersonName>The information required by Item 2(a) is set forth in Row 1 of the cover page hereto for each Reporting Person and is incorporated herein by reference for each such Reporting Person.</filingPersonName>
        <principalBusinessOfficeOrResidenceAddress>The address of each Reporting Person is:
475 Steamboat Road
Greenwich, CT 06830 </principalBusinessOfficeOrResidenceAddress>
        <citizenship>The information required by Item 2(c) is set forth in Row 4 of the cover page hereto for each  Reporting Person and is incorporated herein by reference for each such Reporting Person.</citizenship>
      </item2>
      <item3>
        <notApplicableFlag>N</notApplicableFlag>
        <typeOfPersonFiling>IC</typeOfPersonFiling>
      </item3>
      <item4>
        <amountBeneficiallyOwned>The information required by Items 4(a)-(c) is set forth in Rows 5-11 of the cover page hereto for each Reporting Person and is incorporated herein by reference for each such Reporting Person.

Calculation of the ownership percentage set forth in Row 11 is based on the Issuer's publicly available Form 10-Q filed May 15, 2025, which states that the Issuer had outstanding 61,859,712 Class A Ordinary Shares as of  May 12, 2025.
</amountBeneficiallyOwned>
        <classPercent>5.7</classPercent>
        <numberOfSharesPersonHas>
          <solePowerOrDirectToVote>0.00</solePowerOrDirectToVote>
          <sharedPowerOrDirectToVote>3,513,649.00</sharedPowerOrDirectToVote>
          <solePowerOrDirectToDispose>0.00</solePowerOrDirectToDispose>
          <sharedPowerOrDirectToDispose>3,513,649.00</sharedPowerOrDirectToDispose>
        </numberOfSharesPersonHas>
      </item4>
      <item5>
        <notApplicableFlag>Y</notApplicableFlag>
      </item5>
      <item6>
        <notApplicableFlag>Y</notApplicableFlag>
      </item6>
      <item7>
        <notApplicableFlag>N</notApplicableFlag>
        <subsidiaryIdentificationAndClassification>See Exhibit 99.1.</subsidiaryIdentificationAndClassification>
      </item7>
      <item8>
        <notApplicableFlag>Y</notApplicableFlag>
      </item8>
      <item9>
        <notApplicableFlag>Y</notApplicableFlag>
      </item9>
      <item10>
        <notApplicableFlag>N</notApplicableFlag>
        <certifications>By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were acquired and are held in the ordinary course of business and were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect, other than activities solely in connection with a nomination under ?? 240.14a-11. </certifications>
      </item10>
    </items>
    <signatureInformation>
      <reportingPersonName>W. R. Berkley Corporation</reportingPersonName>
      <signatureDetails>
        <signature>By: /s/ Richard M. Baio</signature>
        <title>Richard M. Baio, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer</title>
        <date>08/08/2025</date>
      </signatureDetails>
    </signatureInformation>
    <signatureInformation>
      <reportingPersonName>Berkley Insurance Company</reportingPersonName>
      <signatureDetails>
        <signature>By: /s/ Richard M. Baio</signature>
        <title>Richard M. Baio, Executive Vice President and Treasurer</title>
        <date>08/08/2025</date>
      </signatureDetails>
    </signatureInformation>
  </formData>

</edgarSubmission>
