The Pentagon is warning Congress that it is running low on money to replace weapons the US has sent to Ukraine and has already been forced to slow down resupplying some troops, according to a letter sent to congressional leaders.
The letter urges Congress to replenish funding for Ukraine. Congress averted a government shutdown by passing a short-term funding bill over the weekend, but the measure dropped all assistance for Ukraine in the battle against Russia.
Pentagon Comptroller Michael McCord told House and Senate leaders there is USD 1.6 billion left of the USD 25.9 billion Congress provided to replenish US military stocks that have been flowing to Ukraine.
The weapons include millions of rounds of artillery, rockets, and missiles critical to Ukraine’s counteroffensive aimed at taking back territory gained by Russia in the war.
In addition, the US has about USD 5.4 billion left to provide weapons and equipment from its stockpiles.
The US would have already run out of that funding if the Pentagon hadn’t realized earlier this year that it had overvalued the equipment it had already sent, freeing up about USD 6.2 billion. Some of that has been sent in recent months.
McCord said the US has completely run out of long-term funding for Kyiv through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which provides money to contract for future weapons.
“We have already been forced to slow down the replenishment of our own forces to hedge against an uncertain funding future,” McCord said in the letter. “Failure to replenish our military services on a timely basis could harm our military’s readiness.”
He added that without additional funding now, the US will have to delay or curtail air defence weapons, ammunition, drones, and demolition and breaching equipment that are “critical and urgent now as Russia prepares to conduct a winter offensive.”
“We cannot under any circumstances allow America’s support for Ukraine to be interrupted,” said Joe Biden. “We have time, not much time, and there’s an overwhelming sense of urgency.”
The short-term funding bill passed by Congress lasts only until mid-November. And McCord said it would be too risky for the Defence Department to divert money from that temporary funding bill to pay for more aid to Ukraine.