Without another abundant infusion of cash from Congress, US funding for Ukraine’s government expenditures will run dry by November, a report citing officials in Washington and Kiev says.
Congress passed a temporary funding bill to keep the federal government running until November 17 and dodge a shutdown by leaving out $6 billion for Ukraine. The sum was part of the $24 billion in emergency aid for Kiev requested by President Joe Biden, on top of the over $100 billion in assistance already provided to the regime.
While Ukraine’s Finance Ministry has resources to cover the budget needs for October, “beyond November the government could face decisions about what services or salaries to cut, or whether to attempt to borrow,” a Ukrainian official was cited as saying.
The source voiced concerns that ending payments to Ukraine’s government could trigger discontent in the country and “potentially put political pressure on President Volodymyr Zelensky, who would face louder criticism from rival factions.”
Meanwhile, one Washington official revealed that the US Agency for International Development (USAID) will process an October funds transfer of $1.15 billion through the World Bank program, “assuming Ukraine shows that it has appropriately spent the previous transfer.” Future disbursements are unclear, it was added in the report. After October, the government in Kiev could dip into other funds “earlier than planned,” which would tide them over through November and December, but “without fresh funding the picture turns darker in 2024,” the US report cited a Ukrainian source as saying.
The World Bank’s Public Expenditures for Administrative Capacity Endurance (“Peace” ) program has sent Ukraine $23.4 billion, all told, with $20.2 billion funded by the US and $2 billion from the UK. Since the Ukraine conflict escalated, overall US aid to Ukraine totals $72.8 billion, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, the report noted.
Divisive Issue of Ukraine Spending
The debate over economic aid to Ukraine has divided Congress. Republicans who oppose funding for Ukraine have argued the need to put domestic priorities first, instead of sinking cash into NATO’s proxy war with Russia. Ukraine's botched counteroffensive has added to doubts, along with soaring prices and borrowing costs, economic slowdown, and inflation. An August survey found that 55 percent of Americans thought lawmakers should not authorize additional funding to support Ukraine.
Furthermore, the Pentagon recently issued a warning to Congress, saying it is rapidly running out of funds to replace its weapons stockpile, including artillery, rockets, and missiles, due to the rush to fulfill shipments to Ukraine. In a letter viewed by US media, Pentagon Comptroller Michael McCord earlier informed House and Senate leadership that out of the $25.9 billion allocated by Congress to replenish US military stocks provided to Ukraine, only $1.6 billion remains. Long-term funding through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative for Kiev has been entirely depleted, McCord warned, saying that without additional funding, the US will be forced to delay or slash supply of air defense weapons, ammunition, drones, and demolition equipment.
Before the 71-page continuing resolution (CR) was signed by Biden on Saturday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken called Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on September 24 to lobby against cutting off Congress’ assistance to Kiev. Nevertheless, days later, the funding bill passed the GOP-led House of Representatives and the Democratic-majority Senate without aid for Ukraine.
A frustrated President Joe Biden had earlier told lawmakers, “We cannot under any circumstances allow America’s support for Ukraine to be interrupted.” He later dropped a remark that hinted at the possibility of some new agreement with then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy to take up the issue of more Ukraine funding later. “We just made one about Ukraine. So, we’ll find out,” Biden said when asked by the media about McCarthy’s stance when the “next deal comes around.” In response, the since-ousted House speaker said that this was not true at all. "There is no side deal with President Biden," McCarthy said.
After the Ukraine-aid-deficient stopgap bill passed Congress, Biden rushed to speak with leaders of other patron states of the Kiev regime, such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Italy, Poland, and Romania, along with French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna and Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg, on coordinating further aid for Ukraine.
“As President Biden made clear, we cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted. Time is not our friend,” National Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby told the media after the call.
Moscow has repeatedly condemned foreign aid to the Kiev regime, pointing out that NATO-gifted weapons only serve to prolong the conflagration. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov previously warned that any cargo containing military assistance to Ukraine will become a legitimate target for Russia's military.