The USA plans to supply Ukraine with one other assist bundle by the tip of December, after which Congress should act to supply additional assist, the White Home mentioned Monday.
“When that one is completed … we can have no extra replenishment authority out there to us. And we’re going to wish Congress to behave immediately,” mentioned Nationwide Safety Council strategic communications coordinator John Kirby.
The Pentagon nonetheless has the authority to produce weapons to Ukraine instantly from the US Division of Protection stockpile. However the quantity of weapons that the Ministry of Protection can switch to Ukraine is proscribed by funding to replenish American shares, that are nearly gone.
On December 15, Pentagon Comptroller Michael McCord, in a letter quoted by Bloomberg, famous that the US Division of Protection was spending its remaining $1.07 billion on the acquisition of latest weapons and tools to replenish shares seized from Pentagon warehouses and despatched to Ukraine, noting that as much as There shall be no funds left in these accounts on December thirtieth.
The White Home known as on the US Congress to “immediately” allocate the required funds to additional assist Ukraine, “to behave to face up for freedom and democracy in protection of our personal nationwide safety pursuits,” Kirby mentioned, as printed on official White Home web site.
Earlier this month, the White Home warned that with out further funding handed by Congress, the US would run out of cash to supply army assist to Ukraine by the tip of this 12 months.
Lawmakers are actively negotiating in an try to achieve an settlement on funding assist to Ukraine, however the attainable timing of its conclusion stays unsure.
Earlier, members of The Alphen Group, which brings collectively consultants on strengthening NATO and European safety, wrote an open letter to the Democratic and Republican leaders within the Senate and Home of Representatives.
They known as on Congress to approve new assist to Kyiv shortly and warned that Ukraine’s defeat within the struggle with Russia can be catastrophic for it and threaten the safety of the US and its allies.