Afrigather WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. on Wednesday introduced what officers say could be the final package of military aid to Ukraine unless Congress approves supplemental funding legislation that’s stalled on Capitol Hill.
The weapons, price as much as $250 million, embody an array of air munitions and different missiles, artillery, anti-armor techniques, ammunition, demolition and medical tools and elements. The help, supplied by way of the Presidential Drawdown Authority, can be pulled from Pentagon stockpiles.
In a press release, Marine Lt. Col. Garron Garn, a Pentagon spokesman stated there isn’t a extra funding to interchange the weapons taken from division shares. And the Ukraine Safety Help Initiative, which offers long-term funding for future weapons contracts, can also be out of cash.
Consequently, Garn stated Wednesday, “With out the supplemental funding, there can be a shortfall in replenishing U.S. navy shares, affecting American navy readiness.”
President Joe Biden is urging Congress to go a $110 billion support bundle for Ukraine, Israel and different nationwide safety wants. It contains $61.4 billion for Ukraine, with about half to replenish Pentagon shares. It additionally contains about $14 billion for Israel because it fights Hamas and $14 billion for U.S. border safety. Different funds would go for safety wants within the Asia-Pacific.
AP Picture/Evgeniy Maloletka
Because of an accounting error that overvalued a number of the weapons despatched to Ukraine over the previous 12 months or extra, there may be nonetheless about $4.2 billion in restored drawdown authority. However for the reason that Pentagon has no cash to replenish stock despatched to Kyiv, the division should “rigorously assess” any future support and its implications on the U.S. navy’s skill to guard America, Garn stated.
That is the 54th tranche of navy support taken from division cabinets and despatched to Ukraine, and it’s comparable in measurement and contents to most of the different current packages.
U.S. protection and authorities leaders have argued that the weapons are crucial for Ukraine to keep up its protection and proceed efforts to mount an offensive towards Russian forces in the course of the winter months.
In a Pentagon briefing final week, Air Power Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder famous the current letter that the Protection Division comptroller despatched to Congress warning that the U.S. can be utilizing up the final of its replenishment funds by the tip of the 12 months.
“As soon as these funds are obligated, we may have exhausted the funding obtainable for us to offer safety help to Ukraine,” stated Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary. “We might, once more, proceed to induce the passage of the supplemental that we’ve submitted. … It’s crucial that we have now the funds wanted to make sure that they get essentially the most pressing battlefield capabilities that they require.”
The most recent support bundle comes because the battle in Ukraine drags on into its twenty second month. Russia fired nearly 50 Shahed drones at targets in Ukraine and shelled a prepare station within the southern metropolis of Kherson the place greater than 100 civilians have been gathered to catch a prepare to Kyiv. And a day earlier, Ukrainian warplanes damaged a Russian ship moored within the Black Sea off Crimea as troopers on either side are struggling to make a lot progress alongside the entrance strains.
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