Ukrainian servicemen carry nationwide flags and images of their comrade Vasyl Boichuk, who was killed in Mykolayiv in March 2022, throughout his funeral ceremony on the cemetery in Iltsi village in Ukraine on Dec. 26, 2023.

Evgeniy Maloletka/AP

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Evgeniy Maloletka/AP

Ukrainian servicemen carry nationwide flags and images of their comrade Vasyl Boichuk, who was killed in Mykolayiv in March 2022, throughout his funeral ceremony on the cemetery in Iltsi village in Ukraine on Dec. 26, 2023.

Evgeniy Maloletka/AP

WASHINGTON — The U.S. on Wednesday introduced what officers say could possibly be the ultimate package deal of navy support to Ukraine except Congress approves supplemental funding laws that’s stalled on Capitol Hill.

The weapons, price as much as $250 million, embrace an array of air munitions and different missiles, artillery, anti-armor programs, ammunition, demolition and medical gear and elements. The support, offered by way of the Presidential Drawdown Authority, will probably be pulled from Pentagon stockpiles.

In a press release, Marine Lt. Col. Garron Garn, a Pentagon spokesman mentioned there is no such thing as a extra funding to switch the weapons taken from division shares. And the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which offers long-term funding for future weapons contracts, can also be out of cash.

As a end result, Garn mentioned Wednesday, “Without the supplemental funding, there will be a shortfall in replenishing U.S. military stocks, affecting American military readiness.”

President Joe Biden is urging Congress to cross a $110 billion support package deal for Ukraine, Israel and different nationwide safety wants. It consists of $61.4 billion for Ukraine, with about half to replenish Pentagon shares. It additionally consists of about $14 billion for Israel because it fights Hamas and $14 billion for U.S. border safety. Other funds would go for safety wants within the Asia-Pacific.

Due to an accounting error that overvalued a few of the weapons despatched to Ukraine over the previous 12 months or extra, there’s nonetheless about $4.2 billion in restored drawdown authority. But because the Pentagon has no cash to replenish stock despatched to Kyiv, the division must “rigorously assess” any future support and its implications on the U.S. navy’s means to guard America, Garn mentioned.

This is the 54th tranche of navy support taken from division cabinets and despatched to Ukraine, and it’s comparable in measurement and contents to lots of the different current packages.

U.S. protection and authorities leaders have argued that the weapons are essential for Ukraine to keep up its protection and proceed efforts to mount an offensive in opposition to Russian forces throughout the winter months.

In a Pentagon briefing final week, Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder famous the current letter that the Defense Department comptroller despatched to Congress warning that the U.S. will probably be utilizing up the final of its replenishment funds by the tip of the 12 months.

“Once those funds are obligated, we will have exhausted the funding available for us to provide security assistance to Ukraine,” mentioned Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary. “We would, again, continue to urge the passage of the supplemental that we’ve submitted. … It is imperative that we have the funds needed to ensure that they get the most urgent battlefield capabilities that they require.”

The newest support package deal comes because the conflict in Ukraine drags on into its twenty second month. Russia fired virtually 50 Shahed drones at targets in Ukraine and shelled a practice station within the southern metropolis of Kherson the place greater than 100 civilians had been gathered to catch a practice to Kyiv. And a day earlier, Ukrainian warplanes broken a Russian ship moored within the Black Sea off Crimea as troopers on each side are struggling to make a lot progress alongside the entrance traces.