White House to Congress: Funds Allocated for Ukraine to Run Out This Month

Monday, 4 December 2023

The US President Joe Biden's administration has warned the leaders of the US Congress that the funds allocated to help Ukraine will run out by the end of this year.

As reported by the Financial Times, Shalanda Young, Director of the US Office of Management and Budget, wrote to the leaders of the Republican and Democratic parties: "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 US military stocks."

She stressed that Congress's failure to approve new support would "kneecap Ukraine on the battlefield" and "increase the likelihood of Russian military victories".

"There is no magical pot of funding available to meet this moment. We are out of money – and nearly out of time," she said.

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Shalanda Young reminded that the US military aid packages to Ukraine have already become smaller.

She added that US support is crucial and cannot be replaced by others.

"If Ukraine’s economy collapses, they will not be able to keep fighting, full stop. Putin understands this well, which is why Russia has made destroying Ukraine’s economy central to its strategy – which you can see in its attacks against Ukraine’s grain exports and energy infrastructure."

Young also said that money for Ukraine would benefit the US economy.

House Speaker Mike Johnson has expressed confidence that the US Congress will be able to pass additional funds to help Israel and Ukraine before the holidays, but there is a condition.

The State Department is also optimistic about the prospects of passing an additional funding package for Ukraine and other defence needs in Congress, where it has been stuck for almost two months.

In September, the White House asked Congress to approve a $106 billion additional funding package that included more than $61 billion in funding for Ukraine, as well as spending on aid to Israel, Taiwan and border protection.

But the initiative was stalled by opposition from far-right Republicans in the House of Representatives, whose new speaker, Mike Johnson, proposed splitting aid to Ukraine and Israel.

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