Nearly $6 billion for Ukraine at risk unless Congress takes urgent action
Illustrative photo (getty images)
The nearly $6 billion in US funding for Ukraine is set to expire at the end of the month. To prevent this, Congress must take urgent action, according to AP and Ukrinform.
US officials have stated that the Biden administration has requested Congress to include funding authority in any resolution lawmakers may pass by the end of the fiscal year on September 30 to fund the federal government and avoid a shutdown. Officials expressed hope to extend the authority for another year.
The Department of Defense is also considering other options if these efforts fail, according to officials.
Sources indicate that approximately $5.8 billion in Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) will expire. Another $100 million in PDA funds will not expire at the end of the month. The PDA allows the Pentagon to draw weapons from its stockpiles and quickly send them to Ukraine, notes the Associated Press.
Additionally, there is just over $4 billion remaining in the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which will not expire at the end of the month. These funds, which are valid until September 30, 2025, are used to pay for weapons contracts that will not be delivered for a year or more.
Pentagon spokesman General Patrick Ryder stated that the US Department of Defense is working with Congress to ensure that any remaining funds from the $60 billion aid package to Ukraine are not lost after the fiscal year ends.
"At the end of the fiscal year, those authorities would expire. And so, right now, we're continuing to work with Congress to see about getting those authorities extended to enable us to continue to draw down packages," the Pentagon representative said.
During the visit to Kyiv, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the US would provide over $700 million in financial support to Ukraine. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced a new aid package for Ukraine worth over $780 million.
