The White House has authorized an additional $250 million in military aid to Ukraine, comprising air defense, artillery, small arms ammunition, and anti-tank weapons.
This allocation exhausts available funding without fresh approval from Congress, where discussions have stalled.
Ukrainian officials have cautioned about the risk to their war effort and public finances if further Western aid is not received.
However, talks in Congress have hit an impasse, with Republicans insisting on including stricter security measures on the US-Mexico border as part of any military aid deal.Despite broad support for aiding Ukraine in Congress, disagreements have hindered progress.
Wednesday’s announcement details the withdrawal of weapons from existing Pentagon reserves, circumventing the need for Congressional approval.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement announcing the aid package that it was “imperative that Congress act swiftly, as soon as possible, to advance our national security interests by helping Ukraine defend itself and secure its future”.
“Our assistance has been critical to supporting our Ukrainian partners as they defend their country and their freedom against Russia’s aggression,” he added.
