Evgeny Maloletka/AP/File
In this photo from July 2022, Ukrainian military personnel prepare to fire on Russian positions from a U.S.-supplied M777 howitzer in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine.
CNN
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The Pentagon will use the last remaining military aid funds to support Ukraine's war effort against Russia, multiple defense officials told CNN, even with no guarantee Congress would replenish them. It is said that they are considering it.
The Pentagon still has about $4 billion in Presidential Drawing Authority funds available for Ukraine, which the Pentagon could use to draw from its own stockpile to send military equipment to Kiev.
But the Pentagon has so far been reluctant to spend the remaining funds without assurances that they will be reimbursed by Congress through the administration's request for $60 billion in additional funding. Procuring equipment from the Pentagon's stockpile without a plan to replenish it could affect the readiness of the U.S. military.
But with Ukraine increasingly desperate for U.S. military aid and House Republican leaders refusing to vote on further funding, senior defense officials have decided to direct at least some of that money to the Department of Defense. We are debating whether there is an internal financial cushion that would allow us to spend on The remaining $4 billion is meant to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia.
Officials stressed that no decision has been made yet. But talks about this option and other potential Plan Bs have become increasingly urgent in recent weeks as the situation on the battlefield in Ukraine has become more dire, officials said.
Ukrainian forces have been forced to ration ammunition and have lost some ground in the east, including the main city of Avdiivka, which fell to Russian forces earlier this month.
Asked about the potential use of the remaining $4 billion, Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Garlon Garn said in a statement: ”
Officials said the department could spend some of that $4 billion even if it can't find funds to replenish it internally. But it's not unprecedented for the Pentagon to find additional windfall sources.
Last year, the Pentagon announced it had discovered an accounting error that caused it to overstate the amount of aid it was providing to Ukraine by $6.2 billion. The additional funding gives the department a cushion and allows it to withdraw military aid to Ukraine for a longer period of time than expected, CNN previously reported.
Asked Tuesday whether the Pentagon was considering spending some of the remaining funds, Pentagon spokesman Gen. Patrick Ryder said there was nothing to announce and that the Pentagon is considering spending some of the remaining funds. He said he continues to look for ways to continue supporting Ukraine.
“We will continue to consider ways we can support Ukraine in its fight to protect its freedom and sovereignty,” Ryder said.
But last month, Ryder spoke about some of the concerns the department had in utilizing these funds.
“What's at stake here again are issues that impact our own preparedness as a nation and the responsibilities that we have,” he said last month when asked about funding. “So, certainly we have $4.2 billion in authority, but we don't have the funds to replenish those stocks if we run out of it. And with no timeline in sight, we're in a difficult position. A decision must be made.”
Another defense official told CNN that the next round of aid to Ukraine “will definitely include critical munitions.” The official said discussions were also underway on how and where to pre-position military equipment so that it could be transported to Ukraine as soon as possible once additional funding sources were identified.
The last Ukrainian security package worth up to $250 million was announced on December 27th. Some weapons and equipment from previous drawdown packages and the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) package are still flowing into Ukraine, but the United States has not announced a new package. since then.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told CNN this week that Ukraine cannot win the war without continued support from the United States.
“The people will be ready, but the ammunition is not ready, the brigade is not ready for our counterattack, it is not ready to defend, it is not ready to stay strong. “It will be very difficult,” he said.