The Pentagon is poised to swiftly deliver weapons to Ukraine if a long-awaited aid bill is passed by Congress. With storage sites in the U.S. and Europe already stocked with the necessary ammunition and air defense components, the Pentagon can expedite the process within days.
CIA Director Bill Burns emphasized the urgency, cautioning that without additional U.S. aid, Ukraine risks losing the war to Russia by year-end. Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder expressed the readiness to provide the required security assistance promptly once the $61 billion funding is approved.
Despite having supplies ready for months, the Pentagon refrained from moving them due to financial constraints. Exhausting the previous funding allocated by Congress, over $44 billion worth of weapons, maintenance, training, and spare parts have been sent to Ukraine since Russia's invasion in February 2022.
The delay in aid packages stemmed from uncertainty over Congress passing the necessary funding to replenish the weapons sent to Ukraine. The proposed legislation includes over $20 billion to restock Pentagon shelves and ensure military readiness.
The prolonged wait for weapons deliveries has forced Ukrainian troops to ration their dwindling munitions supply. House Speaker Mike Johnson is pushing for a weekend vote on the Ukraine funding bill, with President Joe Biden committed to signing it promptly to trigger Pentagon action.
Utilizing presidential drawdown authority, the military can swiftly provide weapons from existing stockpiles to Ukraine. The U.S. has been sending various weapons, including ammunition, air defense systems, tanks, and vehicles, through this mechanism.
As the conflict in Ukraine escalated, the U.S. dispatched more advanced and costly systems, depleting resources and necessitating replacements. The Army faces financial strain, potentially impacting troop deployments and training without the foreign aid bill's passage.
The U.S. boasts extensive weapons storage facilities, such as the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant in Oklahoma, capable of surging munitions in case of war. Additionally, storage sites in Europe enable rapid deployment of certain munitions to Ukraine, including artillery and air defense systems.
European allies like Germany and Poland are aiding Ukraine in maintaining and training on Western systems, expediting repairs and support for Kyiv's military operations.
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