Nick Schifrin:
The general, simple answer to this, Amna, is not very long.
We have just returned from the front in southern Ukraine and the situation is incredibly difficult. We have seen special forces like this, and we have seen that there is a shortage of ammunition everywhere on the front and that the Ukrainian soldiers have rationed a lot. And that’s even before the political chaos in Washington is currently preventing the next package from being passed.
Now some U.S. officials believe the Ukrainians are actually shooting too much. But the bottom line is that in the long term, Ukraine cannot continue to fight the way it has been fighting unless US support remains at the same level as before.
Now to the immediate term, let’s look at the math. Administration officials tell me they have about $5.6 billion worth of ammunition and weapons that they can source from existing stocks. But here’s the actual number: $1.6 billion. That’s the amount of supply money they would give to the military for shipping all those weapons to Ukraine.
And here’s another number: zero dollars. This is long-term military assistance known as the Ukrainian Security Assistance Initiative. That’s why you’re seeing the administration’s alarm right now.