The hemorrhaging of U.S. taxpayer dollars showed no signs of easing as the Biden administration announced plans to send another $400 million in military aid to Ukraine as soon as this week.
The loot, according to U.S. officials, will be artillery, air defense missiles and ground vehicles for use in Kyiv’s war with Russia.
In a controversial move that drew both domestic and international condemnation, the White House earlier this month sent highly dangerous cluster munitions to the country. Anonymous officials reported that these weapons are not included in the latest round to be shipped out.
The US plans to announce as soon as Tuesday a new military aid package for Ukraine worth up to $400 million, primarily comprised of artillery, air defense missiles and ground vehicles as Ukraine's counteroffensive grinds on, US officials said.https://t.co/GVoweDFrSI
— NOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) July 22, 2023
And while the specifications of the package are still being determined, some details are already known.
The aid will include multiple Stryker armored personnel carriers, munitions for surface-to-air missiles and High Mobility Rocket Systems, mine-clearing equipment, anti-tank weapons and munitions for anti-aircraft systems already supplied by the Pentagon.
The Biden White House is funding the $400 million package through the Presidential Drawdown Authority. This is the legal ability of the president to move armaments and stocks from the U.S. military supply to other parts of the world in emergency times.
The war between Russia and Ukraine is, according to the administration, an “emergency.”
The aid reportedly will be drawn from the Pentagon’s excess inventory.
It will be the 43rd assistance package approved by U.S. officials to go to the war-torn region since the conflict began in Feb. 2022. The price tag so far is over a staggering $41 billion.
Since the war’s beginning, Congress and the Biden administration have shelled out over $75 billion in total assistance to Ukraine. This encompasses all military, humanitarian and financial support for embattled President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Military expenditures account for 61% of the total sent to Ukraine, and budgetary aid, loans and other financial support make up another 34% of the outlay.
This is on top of the tens of billions in aid provided by NATO and other countries to the nation.
There are increasing calls from conservative U.S. leaders to hold Ukraine accountable for these massive expenditures. Thus far there are few if any strings attached and very little responsibility for ensuring that they are utilized as intended.
