US leadership in 'urgent' talks on saving $6 billion in Ukraine aid before expiration deadline, Reuters reports
The Biden administration is leading "urgent discussions" with U.S. Congress to save around $6 billion in assistance for Ukraine before it expires on Sept. 30 deadline, Reuters reported on Sept. 5, citing undisclosed sources.
Razom for Ukraine, a U.S.-based non-profit advocating for international support for the embattled country, pointed out in late August that $6.2 billion in the presidential drawdown authority (PDA) will expire by the end of the month – which marks the end of the fiscal year – without immediate action.
"If the current pace of draw-downs continues until Sept. 30, approximately $5.7 billion will expire unused," Razom said.
The PDA is one of the key tools for delivering some $61 billion in aid approved by Congress in April. It allows the U.S. president to transfer defense supplies from existing military stocks in response to emergencies.
Washington has greenlighted a number of packages under the PDA since April, most recently a $125 million tranche on Aug. 23. But the vast majority of the $7.8 billion allocated for the PDA remains unused.
According to Reuters' sources, the U.S. State Department hopes to push forward a short-term emergency spending bill that Congress has to approve this month to avoid a government shutdown and to prevent the PDA assistance from expiring.
Congressional aides voiced confidence in a comment to Reuters that "there would be a solution."
President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly said that while Ukraine is grateful for the approved aid packages, the material assistance is trickling down too slowly.
Reuters' sources said that a possible reason for the slow pace is worries in the Pentagon that their own stocks are being depleted too fast as the arms industry struggles with supply chain problems.
Ukraine's head of state is scheduled to visit the U.S. this month to present the country's leadership with a yet fully undisclosed "victory plan" and to lobby for more support.
Martin Fornusek
