The Biden administration issued a warning to congressional leaders on Monday that the United States could run out of money to send weapons to Ukraine by the end of the year, posing a serious risk to Kyiv’s ability to defend itself against a Russian invasion.
The urgent warning from President Biden’s budget official came in a letter to House and Senate leaders, putting pressure on Republicans who have been resisting additional aid to Ukraine.
The letter emphasized the critical time in the war as Ukraine struggles to push back Russian troops in a counteroffensive that has largely stalled. President Vladimir V. Putin has continued to send a steady stream of his forces into the conflict.
“We are out of money – and nearly out of time,” Shalanda D. Young, the director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, wrote in the letter. She warned that cutting off the flow of U.S. weapons and equipment to Ukraine would put the country at risk of Russian military victories.
The urgent appeal from the White House did not yield the desired results in the House, where Republican Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana said Democrats have not done enough to earn the support of his members to send more money to Ukraine.
The issue has become tied up with border security, with Republicans seeking major changes to border policy in exchange for additional aid to Ukraine. The administration has urged lawmakers to act quickly, emphasizing the urgent need to support a democratic Ukraine against Russian aggression.
Despite the urgent warnings, uncertainty looms over the fate of Ukraine aid, leaving allies worried about the implications on the battlefield. President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine has made it clear how significant it would be for his war effort if American military assistance were to end.
As the U.S. presidential election looms and Republicans raise skepticism about providing further financial support to Ukraine, the fate of the aid remains in limbo, with no resolution in sight.
The Pentagon has spent 97 percent of the war funding it received, totaling about $62.3 billion, with nearly $45 billion going directly to Ukraine. The administration is urging congressional leaders to take swift action to ensure continued support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.