Biden insists on extending the deadline for providing $6 billion to Ukraine, which may “burn” as early as September
The President of the United States, Joe Biden, appealed to the Congress to extend the presidential appropriations order (PDA), which allows the transfer of about 6 billion dollars to Ukraine. This mechanism will soon reach its expiration date as the funds expire in September.
As the Hill publication notes, in the spring of this year, the USA passed a law on aid to Ukraine in the total amount of more than 60 billion dollars. The main tool for implementing this assistance is the Presidential Drawdown Authority, which allows the president to transfer military resources and services from the country’s stockpiles in emergency situations.
Of this total package, $7.8 billion is earmarked through PDA. However, most of this amount has not yet been used, although the financial year is coming to an end on September 30. According to Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder, the PDA currently has about $5.9 billion left to spend through the end of the fiscal year, in addition to $100 million left for other needs.
The Biden administration is asking Congress to extend the PDA through 2025 to continue providing aid to Ukraine. The Department of Defense, Ryder noted, is also working with Congress to ensure that PDA authority is extended beyond Oct. 1. This would allow the White House to continue sending military aid to Ukraine several times a month.
At the same time, as an unnamed aide to the congressman points out in an interview with the Hill, if Congress refuses to extend the PDA, the Biden administration may have time to announce a $5.8 billion military aid package by the end of September and gradually send it over the next year. However, this option is less profitable.
Earlier, several American public organizations appealed to the State Department not to miss the opportunity to use these funds to support Ukraine.
