The US Department of Defense are urging Congress to resume funding for military aid to Ukraine, the Associated Press said, according to a letter sent to congressional leaders
Congress prevented a government shutdown by passing a short-term funding bill, which stopped military assistance to Ukraine.
Pentagon Comptroller Michael McCord told House and Senate leaders “there is $1.6 billion left of the $25.9 billion Congress provided to replenish US military stocks that have been flowing to Ukraine.
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“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.”
McCord, told AP agency that the US has completely exhausted the possibilities of long-term financing for Kyiv.
Uunder the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, this provides money for concluding contracts for the supply of future weapons for war torn Ukraine.
“We have already been forced to slow down the replenishment of our own forces to hedge against an uncertain funding future,” McCord added.
The new US bill which averted a government shutdown means there is now “no new funding” from Congress, which severely puts Ukraine at risk of “losing the war.”
On Saturday evening Congress passed the bill prevent the government shutdown until November, but the stopgap funding does not include the $6 billion in humanitarian or military aid for Ukraine.
Bloomberg reported that a week ago President Volodymyr Zelensky met with President Joe Biden and Ukraine was promised F-16 fighter jets and the lethal long-range ATACMS, it now looking likely Kyiv will not receive the much-needed equipment, playing right into Vladimir Putin’s hands.
“If we don’t get aid, we will lose the war,” Zelenskyy said to senators, according to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
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