Ukraine (Washington Insider Magazine)— On Wednesday, the United States State Department announced a $250 million aid package to Ukraine’s military to support its fight against Russian aggression. The US will deliver the last package to Ukraine until Congress authorises the Biden administration’s funding proposals.
The U.S. “continued to display its enduring dedication to Ukraine’s defence against Russia’s brutal aggression with the announcement of additional arms and equipment to help Ukraine defend its territory and protect its people,” the State Department spokesperson stated.
“This package provides up to $250 million of arms and equipment under previously directed drawdowns for Ukraine,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated. “Capabilities provided in today’s package include air defence munitions, other air defence system components, additional ammunition for high mobility artillery rocket systems, 155mm and 105mm artillery ammunition, anti-armour munitions, and over 15 million rounds of ammunition.”
“Our assistance has been critical to supporting our Ukrainian partners as they defend their country and their freedom against Russia’s aggression,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke in a statement, urging Congress to “swiftly” approve additional aid to Ukraine.
The package came after President Biden hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House earlier this month.
It also came as Ukraine’s partners have dramatically climbed back their funding of Ukraine, which has dropped to its lowest level since the beginning of the war, according to the German-based Kiel Institute’s Ukraine aid tracker.
“The decisions we make now will determine the future for decades to come, particularly in Europe,” Mr. Biden expressed during his meeting with Zelenskyy. “And this is one of those moments. Congress must pass the supplemental funding for Ukraine before they break for the holiday recess before they give [Vladimir] Putin the greatest Christmas gift they could give him.”
Last week, the Biden administration announced one more Ukraine military aid package to announce this year. However, it would be the final one the US could deliver without lawmakers’ approval. Defense Department Comptroller Mike McCord conveyed in a letter to Congress that “once these funds are obligated, the Department will have exhausted the funding available to us for security assistance to Ukraine.”
This package draws the limit of the US’ ability to deliver weapons to Ukraine without further funding from Congress. The Biden administration has urged Congress for a supplemental package including more than $60 billion in assistance for Ukraine. However, legislation is delayed nowadays as negotiators try to find a settlement on border security and immigration policy. It is a vital Republican demand as part of any deal.
The administration has repeatedly cautioned that its ability to assist Ukraine was rapidly declining. It forced the Pentagon to stretch its little money into smaller aid packages.
“Congress must act swiftly, as soon as possible, to advance our national security interests by helping Ukraine defend itself and secure its future,” Blinken spoke.
The US administration announced security packages worth $200 million and $175 million Earlier this month. They were small compared to the much larger assistance packages the administration has been capable of sending in the past. The US has dispatched more than $46 billion in military support to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion started in February 2022.
“We are still planning one more aid package to Ukraine later this month,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby spoke last week. “However, when that one is done … we will have no more replenishment authority available to us.” “We’re going to need Congress to act without delay, as we have been saying,” he added.
Kirby mentioned a Dec. 18 letter to lawmakers from the Pentagon’s comptroller, Undersecretary of Defense Michael McCord, in which the DOD official cautioned that all funding dedicated to Ukraine would soon be exhausted.
“To protect US military readiness,” McCord said, Wednesday’s drawdown from existing Defense Department inventories would be the last one for Ukraine.
McCord noted that the Pentagon would be moving about $1.1 billion to its accounts to replace its inventories and reimburse “defence services” delivered to Ukraine. “Once these funds are obligated, the Department will have exhausted the funding available to us for security assistance to Ukraine,” McCord wrote.
This announced aid package on Wednesday directly falls under the Presidential Drawdown Authority. It is dragged directly from US inventories and can be shipped fast to Ukraine. The US has already spent the other fundamental forms of assistance. The Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative permits the Defense Department to contract with arms factories to purchase weapons for Ukraine.
