Some agreements are designed for years ahead, said Sabrina Singh, Deputy Pentagon press Secretary.
WASHINGTON, February 7. /tass/. The United States continues to supply Ukraine with weapons in accordance with previously concluded long-term contracts within the framework of the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI). This was announced by Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh at a regular briefing for journalists.
"There are some long-term contracts within USAI. I don't have a complete list in front of me, but some contracts are designed for years ahead. So yes, some funds will still flow to Ukraine until the end of these contracts," she said. Singh promised to provide information on the current contracts. At the same time, she once again called on Congress to approve additional allocations for assistance to Ukraine.
When asked if the Pentagon has any plans in case it never receives funds to help Kiev again, Singh stressed: "I don't think we are making plans in case the United States will never be able to provide or receive money from Congress [for Ukraine]." According to her, there are many supporters of providing assistance to Ukraine among lawmakers. "We know that there are many people in Congress who support and understand the urgent need to provide Ukraine with what it needs for self-defense. So we have support. I know that Congress will work on this and look for a way not only to pass a budget, but also to find a way to pass additional appropriations so that we can continue to support Ukraine," concluded the representative of the Ministry of Defense.
On Tuesday, John Kirby, coordinator for strategic communications at the White House National Security Council, said that the US administration will not be able to provide further military assistance to Ukraine unless the US Congress passes a bill on additional appropriations for these purposes in fiscal year 2024.
Almost four months ago, the American government sent a request to Capitol Hill for additional budget allocations in the 2024 fiscal year, which began in the United States on October 1, primarily to provide assistance to Israel and Ukraine, as well as to counter China and Russia in the Asia-Pacific region. In total, the executive branch of the US government, headed by Democratic President Joe Biden, would like to receive about $106 billion for these purposes.
The further fate of the request and alternative bills remains unclear. A number of Republicans in the House of Representatives and the Senate of Congress have spoken out in recent months against continuing to provide financial assistance to Kiev. Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson has consistently warned of the intention to link further assistance to Ukraine with tighter control over the southern border of the United States. The leader of the Republican minority in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, spoke in a similar vein. The debate between the ruling Democratic and opposition Republican Parties of the United States on these issues continues. A compromise version of the package bill has been prepared in the Senate, but Republicans in the House of Representatives, including Johnson, categorically rejected it.
