The Pentagon is considering the option of attracting the last reserves in the amount of 4 billion dollars to provide military aid to Ukraine.
What is known about the Pentagon's consideration of the option of new military aid to Ukraine
Journalists of the publication note that the US Ministry of Defence still has about $4 billion from the presidential fund to help Ukraine.
However, the Pentagon did not want to use these funds without guarantees that this money would be reimbursed if Congress approved the request for financing additional aid to Ukraine.
It is noted that the withdrawal of weapons from the US Ministry of Defence stocks to help Ukraine may affect the defence capability of the US army.
However, since Ukraine increasingly needs aid from the United States, and the House of Representatives refuses to consider a corresponding request from President Joe Biden, the Pentagon is discussing ways to use at least part of the reserve funds to provide aid.
No decisions have been made yet, but talk of this option and other potential Plan Bs has become increasingly urgent over the past few weeks as the situation on the battlefield in Ukraine becomes increasingly tricky.
What has been said in the Pentagon?
According to the representative of the US Ministry of Defense, Lt. Col. Garron Garn, the Pentagon is currently continuing to call on Congress to approve the request for assistance to Ukraine.
The Pentagon noted that the department could go further and spend part of this $4 billion without even finding domestically the money that could be used to replenish it.
But there would be nothing unprecedented for the Pentagon to find additional, unforeseen sources of funding, the publication says.
Pentagon press secretary General Patrick Ryder said he had nothing to announce, but the Pentagon continues to study ways to continue supporting Ukraine.
So, yes, while we have $4.2 billion in authority, we don't have the funds to replenish those reserves if we spend them. And with no timeline in sight, we have to make these tough decisions, Ryder said.
What could be the new package of military aid from the United States
Last year, the Department of Defense announced that it had discovered an accounting error that caused the Department of Defense to overstate the amount of aid it provided to Ukraine by $6.2 billion.
A separate representative of the Ministry of Defence told CNN that the next package of aid to Ukraine, if it arrives, will definitely include critical munitions.
Discussions are also ongoing about how and where to pre-position military equipment so that it can be sent to Ukraine as soon as possible, as soon as additional funding sources are identified.
