On September 29, the Pentagon contracted 99.8% of the $400 million allocated by Congress for military aid to Ukraine, just a day before the end of the fiscal year in the United States.
Senator Chris Coons reported this to The Washington Sun.
Thus, the U.S. Department of Defense effectively completed the allocation of funds just before the legal deadline of September 30.
As of late July, the Pentagon had not reserved any amount for this aid. Last week, Reuters reported that the U.S. Department of Defense had already committed to $307 million and needed to use the remaining $93 million by the end of the fiscal year.
Coons criticized the Pentagon for making funding decisions at the last moment. According to him, the department does not inform Congress in a timely manner and does not always adhere to the established requirements.
“The fact that they finally did this—literally on the last possible day—tells you everything you need to know about these relations,” stated the senator.
The total package includes $200 million for weapons and ammunition, nearly $100 million for equipment, spare parts, and supplies. An additional $100 million is to be allocated for transporting military assistance, training Ukrainian military personnel, and other related services.
Meanwhile, contracting the funds does not mean that all aid will be physically delivered to Ukraine immediately—it is a legal obligation for the Pentagon to utilize the funding allocated by Congress.
