Pentagon rushes to spend remaining $6.7 billion in aid for Ukraine
The U.S. Defense Department aims to efficiently use the remaining $6.7 billion from the military aid package for Ukraine and swiftly deliver weapons to Ukrainian forces, spokesperson General Patrick Ryder said, Ukrinform reported on Dec. 19.
As President Joe Biden’s term nears its end, the Pentagon is racing against the clock to allocate the remaining funds for military aid to Ukraine. Facing logistical hurdles and constrained timelines, Biden’s administration has ramped up efforts to bolster Ukraine's defense capabilities ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.
"We are focused on spending as much of this as possible to provide security assistance to Ukraine as quickly as we can," Ryder said when asked whether the Pentagon could exhaust all remaining funds for Ukraine support before the end of President Joe Biden's term.
The Pentagon spokesperson also promised to clarify later whether a potential U.S. government shutdown could affect aid deliveries. He assured that the Defense Department will keep the public informed about progress.
U.S. military aid for Ukraine as Biden’s term ends
On Nov. 8, the Pentagon announced plans to utilize all available funds for Ukraine support programs by the end of President Joe Biden's term, amounting to around $6 billion.
On Nov. 26, The Washington Post reported that Biden was working to bolster Ukraine’s position ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.
It was noted that Biden's recent decisions to allow Ukraine to conduct missile strikes deep into Russian territory with American weapons and to supply antipersonnel mines were driven by the "harsh new reality" that could leave Ukraine in its weakest position in nearly three years of large-scale war.
On Nov. 27, Biden proposed that Congress approve an additional $24 billion in funding to enhance aid to Ukraine.
That same day, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Biden administration lacks time to fully allocate the billions of dollars Congress earmarked for Ukrainian armament. According to the publication, the Pentagon has reached the limit of what it can transfer to Ukraine monthly without jeopardizing its own combat capabilities and faces "logistical challenges" in delivering weapons to Ukrainian forces.
According to The New York Times, the Biden administration is unlikely to spend all of the $5.6 billion allocated for military aid to Ukraine by Congress before Trump’s inauguration.
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