US Congress nears deal to extend expiring $6 billion Ukraine aid package, Reuters sources say

US Congress and Biden administration are close to agreeing on one-year extension of $6 billion Ukraine aid, Reuters says. Pentagon intends to use "every dollar and cent" of the expiring funds.

Sep 20, 2024 - 12:00

US Congress nears deal to extend expiring $6 billion Ukraine aid package, Reuters sources say

Congress of the United States.

US Congress and the Biden administration are nearing an agreement to seek a one-year extension of $6 billion in military aid for Ukraine that is set to expire at the end of September, according to sources familiar with the matter, Reuters reported on 19 September.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Congress has approved nearly $175 billion in aid and military assistance for Ukraine and allied nations. Much of this funding has been allocated for long-term US defense production to replace equipment sent to Kyiv.

The extension of the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) is expected to be included in a Continuing Resolution, a short-term emergency spending bill that must be passed by 30 September to avoid a government shutdown. There is bipartisan support for this plan, the Reuters sources said.

Pentagon confirms $5.9 billion aid funds may expire

Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh stated at a briefing on 19 September,

“We do plan to use the authority that we have allocated for — we do plan to use the amount that’s allocated for authority. It’s being able to extend that authority to use it beyond the fiscal year that we are working with Congress on.”

Singh confirmed that $5.9 billion remains in Ukraine PDAs, with all but $100 million set to expire at the end of the fiscal year.

“There is every intention that we want to use every dollar and cent of that authority,” she emphasized.

The $7.8 billion of Presidential Drawdown Authority was a key component of a $61 billion aid package for Ukraine passed by both the House and Senate in April 2024. PDA allows the president to transfer defense articles and services from US stocks in response to emergencies.

Pentagon pledges to use all available funds to support Ukraine but doesn’t provide details as fiscal year ends

The US ban on Ukraine using ATACMS within Russia remains in effect

Regarding the prohibition for Ukraine to use of long-range weapons against Russian territory, Singh confirmed that the US policy remains unchanged.

“Our position on — and our policy hasn’t changed,” she stated, pushing back on suggestions of disunity among allies on this issue.

Singh emphasized the importance of how various weapon systems work together on the battlefield, rather than relying on a single “silver bullet” solution.

“It’s how all the weapons, all the systems knit together and how the Ukrainians employ those together on the battlefield. That’s — that is how they are going to be successful,” she explained.

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