US to send smaller aid packages to Ukraine due to Congress decision – White House
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, commenting on the announcement of military aid for Ukraine, has said the US will allocate smaller aid packages due to the lack of a decision by Congress on additional funding.
Source: European Pravda with reference to Jean-Pierre's briefing
Details: Jean-Pierre noted that the latest US military aid package consists of two parts: US$125 million within the framework of the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA, providing weapons from the US army reserves) programme; and US$300 million from the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI programme; ordering weapons from manufacturers).
"Today's announcements exhausts the remaining USAI funds currently available to support Ukraine," the White House press secretary said.
"While we do have remaining PDA authorities to continue to fulfill Ukraine's immediate battlefield needs, we are beginning to provide Ukraine with smaller PDA packages in order to stretch out our ability to support Ukraine for as long as possible," she added.
Due to this, Jean-Pierre called on Congress to approve the package of additional funding proposed by the White House as soon as possible.
Jean-Pierre said that now, as another brutal winter full of Russian attacks is approaching, it is vital that Congress send an important signal to the world about America's resolve and take action to pass the president's additional national security request and show Vladimir Putin and the rest of the world that the United States continues to stand firm on Ukraine’s side.
The Biden administration still has about US$5 billion of budget approved by Congress last year to provide military assistance to Ukraine from the American stockpile (PDA programme).
Background:
- Joe Biden is trying to convince the US Congress to support aid to both Ukraine and Israel and approve a new US$106 billion aid package that includes more than US$61 billion in funding for Ukraine.
- Mike Johnson, the new Speaker of the House of Representatives, insists that Congress consider the aid packages for Ukraine and Israel separately.
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