The White House told party leaders in the House and Senate on Monday that they are running out of time to reach an agreement on sending more aide to Ukraine in its war against Russia.
The director of the Office of Management and Budget, Shalanda Young, explained that a lack of funding would “kneecap Ukraine on the battlefield.”
“I want to be clear: Without congressional action, by the end of the year we will run out of resources to procure more weapons and equipment for Ukraine and to provide equipment from U.S. military stocks,” she wrote in a letter. “There is no magical pot of funding available to meet this moment. We are out of money—and nearly out of time.”
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This stark warning comes as lawmakers deliberate over Joe Biden’s $61.4 billion proposal for Ukraine aide, part of a $106 billion supplemental funding request that would also free up funds for Israel and the U.S.-Mexico border situation.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has set a vote on the recommendation later this week, but Republicans are arguing for more money to be sent to the border, and House Speaker Mike Johnson has concurred with the widening GOP opposition to funding Ukraine.
Young stated that the Pentagon has exhausted 97 percent of the $62.3 billion it was given as of November and insisted that helping Ukraine could prevent Vladimir Putin from winning and subsequently attacking a NATO country.
“This isn’t a next year problem,” she wrote. “The time to help a democratic Ukraine fight against Russian aggression is right now. It is time for Congress to act.”
Read it at Associated Press
