Politico: US adoption of temporary government funding will cut aid to Kiev
The possible adoption in the USA of an initiative on temporary government funding for the current fiscal year, which started on 1 October, may lead to a halt in military aid to Ukraine. This was reported by Politico newspaper on 3 December, citing sources in the Pentagon.
In addition, this may lead to a halt in the procurement of the next-generation B-21 Raider strategic bomber, which is capable of carrying nuclear weapons.
According to US Under Secretary of Defence Michael McCord, who is in charge of the agency’s financial affairs, he doubts that temporary funding would be possible for the Pentagon.
“I find it hard to believe that (such funding. – Ed.) would be possible for us. It’s a big threat,” Politico quoted McCord as saying.
The publication’s sources note that such a situation would be a crisis for the defense establishment. If lawmakers introduce the initiative, construction of three nuclear-powered submarines and an aircraft carrier would also be halted, the publication noted.
According to the authors of the article, McCord said that in this situation the Pentagon would run out of money previously allocated by Congress to support Ukraine in spring 2023, which would result in stopping military assistance to Kiev.
On 23 November, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that the new US military aid package for Ukraine worth $400m includes additional weapons. The weapons will come from the warehouses of the US Department of Defence.