White House again warns that time to approve additional funding for Ukraine is running out
Shalanda Young, the Director of the United States Office of Management and Budget, during a meeting with journalists on 5 January, sharply warned that the time Congress has to approve additional aid to Ukraine is rapidly decreasing.
Source: European Pravda, citing АР.
Details: Young explained that the administration of the US president still has the authority to send weapons to Ukraine from American warehouses but does not have the funds to replace them, so they made a "very tough decision" and abandoned this mechanism.
The Pentagon also has certain limited powers to help Kyiv without new funding from Congress, but this, the White House official explained, "is not going to get big tranches of equipment into Ukraine."
She separately emphasised the consequences of the absence of additional US aid for Ukraine beyond its military capabilities – for example, Kyiv's ability to pay government employees so that the Ukrainian government can continue to function under Russian attacks.
"Yes, Kyiv might have a little time from other donors to make sure they can keep their war footing, keep the civil service, but what happens in the (European Union), in other NATO allies, if the US pulls out their support?" Young said.
"I’m very concerned that it’s not just the United States’ resources that are necessary for Kyiv to stop Putin. It is: What message does that send to the rest of the world? And what will their decisions be if they see the United States not step up to the plate?" she said.
Background:
- In October, US President Joe Biden asked Congress to approve additional funding, including more than US$60 billion for Ukraine. But it stalled in the Senate because of bipartisan disagreements over border security with Mexico.
- On 27 December, the United States announced that it would provide the last military aid package worth US$250 million to Ukraine in 2023.
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