Photo: Andrew Harnik/AP.
The letter, obtained by the AP, urged Congress to provide additional funding for Ukraine. Congress averted a government shutdown last weekend by passing a short-term funding bill that would have cut off all aid to Ukraine.
Pentagon chief accountant Michael McCord told Senate and House leaders that only $1.6 billion remains of the $25.9 billion Congress has earmarked for U.S. aid to Ukraine, which includes millions of artillery shells and missiles that have played a key role in Ukraine’s counteroffensive.
In addition, the US government has only $5.4 billion left in its budget for weapons and equipment that are in stock. This aid package could have run out before, in early 2023 when the Pentagon discovered that it had overvalued the amount of weapons and equipment previously donated, helping to restore about $6.2 billion in the aid budget.
The US government has exhausted its long-term funding for aid to Kyiv through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which provides investment to help contract future arms packages, Mr. McCord said.
“We have been forced to reduce the supply of our national forces to guard against future budgetary risks,” McCord wrote in the letter. “Failure to adequately supply our national forces in a timely manner could impact our military readiness.”
He also said that without additional funding, the US would have to delay or reduce aid to defense weapons, ammunition, drones, explosives and infiltration devices, all of which are “vital to Russia as it prepares for a winter offensive.”
On Sunday, President Joe Biden said the US government will continue to provide aid to Ukraine, but a decision on funding sources is needed immediately.
“We cannot allow US aid to Ukraine to be interrupted under any circumstances. We are running out of time and all government agencies recognize the urgency of the situation.”
Without continued aid, Ukraine's military will begin to weaken, said Mark Cancian, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
“Without new funding, they'll start to feel the change around Thanksgiving.”
The short-term funding bill recently passed by Congress only runs until mid-November. McCord said the Defense Department could not afford to take the risk of diverting money from that temporary funding bill to provide additional aid to Ukraine.
Some lawmakers have acknowledged that winning approval for sending aid to Ukraine in the US Congress is becoming increasingly difficult, as the conflict continues to drag on and opposition to the aid from Republicans gains momentum.
Nguyen Quang Minh (according to AP News)
Source
Comment (0)