The United States is set to announce billions of dollars in military aid for Ukraine in the coming days after Congress failed to include an aid extension in its stopgap measure to keep the government open. According to defense officials and congressional sources, the first military aid package, totaling $375 million, is expected to be announced as soon as Wednesday.
The Biden administration has nearly $6 billion left in presidential drawdown authority to deliver arms and equipment to Ukraine before it expires at the end of the month. The Pentagon had urged Congress to extend the authority into the next fiscal year to provide critical supplies to support Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.
Congressional leaders faced internal resistance from House Republicans, leading to the exclusion of the aid extension language from the spending bill. The House is expected to approve the stopgap spending measure on Wednesday before adjourning until after the November election.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled to visit the US Capitol on the same day the Senate may take up the funding measure. Zelensky has been vocal about the need for more weapons for Ukraine and has called for loosening restrictions on the use of US weapons against Russian targets.
In his address to the United Nations General Assembly, Zelensky emphasized the need for action to force Russia into peace, stating that talks alone cannot end the conflict. The US is considering announcing large military aid packages for Ukraine, with deliveries expected to be spaced out over several months to ensure a longer-term commitment.
Deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh expressed the intention to utilize every dollar of the authority for military aid to Ukraine during a recent press briefing.
