The paradox is that even though the Biden administration still has almost $6 billion left to help Ukraine in the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), it cannot send more weapons, since they are not available in warehouses, the report said.
At the same time, the PDA is set to expire on September 30 unless Congress agrees to grant more time to spend the remaining funds.
One of the reasons for the insufficient aid sent to Ukraine is the US reluctance to do so at the expense of its readiness, as well as a policy of not sending Kiev too many weapons at one time due to the country’s inability to absorb the equipment and distribute it effectively and quickly, the report said.
Russia has repeatedly stated that it views the supply of weapons to Ukraine as an impediment to the peace process, arguing this makes NATO countries a party to the conflict. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has stated that any shipments containing weapons for Ukraine will be considered legitimate targets for Russia.
Reuters reported earlier in September that the US State Department hopes to tie an extension for the PDA funding into a stopgap funding bill, which lawmakers could pass before the end of the month to prevent a government shutdown.
The Biden administration is also developing an alternative plan to spend the remaining PDA funds in a substantial package before the end of the month. Under the backup plan, the delivery timeline for the aid would be pushed back, according to the report.