AP reports that Ukraine is at risk of losing almost $6 billion in US assistance
According to officials speaking to The Associated Press, around $5.8 billion in approved US military aid to Ukraine could potentially expire by the end of September. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
The authority for President Joe Biden to send arms to Ukraine is set to expire at the end of September, leaving $5.8 billion in Congressionally-approved military assistance untapped, according to US officials who spoke to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.
This funding is available to Biden under presidential drawdown authority, a mechanism designed to provide the executive branch with a rapid means to deliver military aid to other countries in emergencies. This authority allows the president to utilize Pentagon stockpiles.
Sources indicated that the White House has requested Congress to extend the drawdown authority into the next fiscal year as part of the upcoming spending bill that lawmakers will need to pass to keep the federal government running past this month.
Disagreements over spending priorities often arise between Republicans and Democrats in Congress, with the issue of Ukraine aid becoming contentious earlier this year. Some GOP representatives insisted on addressing the security situation at the US southern border before agreeing to allocate more resources to Ukraine.
A compromise was achieved in April, resulting in the approval of $61 billion for Ukraine in a supplemental bill, which included funds to reimburse the Pentagon for previously sent weapons.
During a Thursday briefing, Pentagon press secretary Pat Ryder commented on the drawdown authority, stating that defense officials were “continuing to work with Congress to see about getting those authorities extended.” He mentioned that drawdown packages would continue but refrained from confirming whether the remaining amount approached $6 billion.
According to AP sources, in addition to the $5.8 billion, Biden holds the authority to allocate $100 million under the drawdown authority after the end of September. There is also separate funding exceeding $4 billion available for long-term contracts with weapons manufacturers, which will be active until the end of FY 2025.
The US Department of Defense has struggled with tracking and reporting its assets effectively. Last November marked the Pentagon's sixth consecutive failure in its annual audit. On Thursday, Inspector General Robert Storch reported that the military “did not effectively and efficiently implement accountability controls” for the drawdown aid sent to Taiwan between November 2023 and March 2024.
Max Fischer contributed to this report for TROIB News
This funding is available to Biden under presidential drawdown authority, a mechanism designed to provide the executive branch with a rapid means to deliver military aid to other countries in emergencies. This authority allows the president to utilize Pentagon stockpiles.
Sources indicated that the White House has requested Congress to extend the drawdown authority into the next fiscal year as part of the upcoming spending bill that lawmakers will need to pass to keep the federal government running past this month.
Disagreements over spending priorities often arise between Republicans and Democrats in Congress, with the issue of Ukraine aid becoming contentious earlier this year. Some GOP representatives insisted on addressing the security situation at the US southern border before agreeing to allocate more resources to Ukraine.
A compromise was achieved in April, resulting in the approval of $61 billion for Ukraine in a supplemental bill, which included funds to reimburse the Pentagon for previously sent weapons.
During a Thursday briefing, Pentagon press secretary Pat Ryder commented on the drawdown authority, stating that defense officials were “continuing to work with Congress to see about getting those authorities extended.” He mentioned that drawdown packages would continue but refrained from confirming whether the remaining amount approached $6 billion.
According to AP sources, in addition to the $5.8 billion, Biden holds the authority to allocate $100 million under the drawdown authority after the end of September. There is also separate funding exceeding $4 billion available for long-term contracts with weapons manufacturers, which will be active until the end of FY 2025.
The US Department of Defense has struggled with tracking and reporting its assets effectively. Last November marked the Pentagon's sixth consecutive failure in its annual audit. On Thursday, Inspector General Robert Storch reported that the military “did not effectively and efficiently implement accountability controls” for the drawdown aid sent to Taiwan between November 2023 and March 2024.
Max Fischer contributed to this report for TROIB News
