There’s no more room to scratch. Funds for military aid to Ukraine have been exhausted. The White House sent a sharp warning to the US Congress this Monday: If parliamentarians do not approve the amount requested by the government before the end of the year, 105 billion dollars (around 97 billion euros) for Ukraine, Israel and the US border With Mexico – among other targets – Kiev risks being “maimed on the battlefield” and losing what has been regained in two years of fighting. It will be much easier for Moscow to win the war.
The stark message, a wake-up call for the situation in Ukraine, where public attention has turned to the Middle East and the war between Israel and Hamas, comes in a letter to leaders from White House Treasury Secretary Shalanda Young. of the parties in the Senate and the House of Representatives. The timing is crucial: The leader of the Democratic majority in the upper house, Charles Schumer, plans to present the appropriations request to senators for a vote this week.
“I want to be clear: If Congress does not act, at the end of this year we will no longer have resources to procure more weapons and equipment for Ukraine and to deliver equipment from the arsenals of the US Armed Forces,” the office director wrote for White House Management and Budgets. “There is no magic money chest. “We have almost run out of resources and time.”
Since September, when disagreements between Democrats and Republicans – and internal disagreements between the latter – left the administration short of funds for its operations, Congress rejected the request for additional amounts of military aid to Ukraine.
The United States is the main supplier of military aid to the invaded country. According to Young, it has already allocated $67 billion for Kiev to defend itself and retake territory occupied by Russia since that country’s troops crossed the border in February 2022. Moscow protects America’s national security and defends democratic principles and sovereignty. However, and although this opinion is widespread among Republicans and Democrats in the Senate and a majority in the House of Representatives; In the latter case, right-wing Republican lawmakers believe enough money has been paid out for that purpose and have blocked any vote on aid.
The White House called for the $105 billion allocation in October after President Biden called in an address to the nation to reach a “broad bipartisan agreement” to win approval for the measure. Of the total amount requested, Ukraine accounts for 61 billion. Another part of these funds, 13.6 billion, is intended to strengthen protection of the southern border in view of the increasing number of immigrants crossing irregularly from Mexico. With this provision, the administration sought to win the votes of Republicans who insist on linking aid to Ukraine to more drastic measures against irregular immigration.
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So far, the White House’s appeals have been unsuccessful. Although talks began between Democrats and Republicans about measures to tighten border protection, they came to a standstill last week. For Democratic lawmakers, Republican demands are excessive.
In his letter, Young insists that “the likelihood of Russian military victories” will increase if Congress does not approve the funds and the United States is forced to halt its arms sales to Ukraine. It is essential that the invaded country receives support to prevent the conflict from spreading throughout the region.
“Helping Ukraine defend itself and guarantee its future as a sovereign, democratic, independent and prosperous country benefits our national security interests,” the White House budget manager concluded in her letter.
This argument is intended to counter the objections of Republicans who believe that the money requested should be invested in the United States and not in supporting foreign forces; Young reminds that most military aid money for Ukraine impacts the United States, creating jobs and stimulating the economy. Most of them end up in arms factories that have increased their production over the last year and a half to meet the invaded country’s enormous demand for ammunition and equipment. “For example, air defense systems manufactured in Alabama, Texas and Georgia,” their text says. These are three states under Republican control.
One possible option that some lawmakers have suggested, given the distance between the items, is to wait until next year before a new military aid item could be included in a broader defense budget bill.
However, Young insists that the aid must be approved now, recalling that aid deliveries have had to be limited and reduced since September due to a lack of funds. “It won’t be a problem for next year,” he emphasizes. “It is time to help a democratic Ukraine fight Russian aggression. It’s time for Congress to act.”
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