Assistance Packages For Small Ukraine, Pentagon Runs Out Of Budget?

US Department of Defense Building. (Wikimedia Commons/US Navy)

JAKARTA - Military aid packages from the United States Department of Defense (Pentagon) are shrinking rapidly, with nearly all aid budgets being disbursed, as Ukraine continues its efforts to counter the Russian invasion.

Pentagon spokesman Sabrina Singh said the United States had disbursed 95 percent of its USD 62.3 billion initial funds for Ukraine's aid, with only $1 billion remaining to refill supplies of weapons that had been delivered to Kyiv.

"As you can see, our aid packages are getting smaller because we have to share our assistance for Ukraine," Singh said.

The United States Congress is experiencing a stalemate in terms of Ukraine funding. Republican and Democratic senators want to certify billions of dollars more in the form of funding.

However, the Republican House of Representatives declined to consider a White House spending package, as far right-wing opposition opposed to sending more funds.

Singh said Uncle Sam's country continued to send aid to Ukraine, but its aid packages were "increasingly small".

"We really ask Congress to pass additional requests submitted by President (Joe Biden) so that we can continue to meet Ukraine's needs on the battlefield," he said.

President Biden himself has urged the US Congress to pass an additional $106 billion bill of spending, with most of the funds being used to increase Ukraine's defenses and the rest being divided between Israel, the Indo-Pacific and border enforcement.

On the other hand, Republicans in the House of Representatives actually submitted their own funding plan which included $14.3 billion in aid to Israel, but not for Ukraine. The bill had no chance of success, as President Biden, who is a Democrat, said he would veto the bill.

Last month, the Pentagon said the closure of the government, which will also take place later this month, would slow the pace of reimbursement of weapons stocks sent to Ukraine.