The Pentagon finalized $400 million in aid to Ukraine just before the deadline

The U.S. Department of Defense finalized approximately $400 million in defense aid to Ukraine almost down to the last day. The funds that Congress had allocated to support Ukraine were supposed to be contracted by the end of the fiscal year on September 30.

U.S. Senator Chris Coons criticized the Pentagon for the fact that the funds were finalized at virtually the last minute. According to him, 99.8% of the $400 million authorized by Congress was contracted just one day before the deadline.

The Pentagon Delayed Aid to Ukraine

Pentagon officials told Chris Coons, a member of the Senate Committee on Defense Appropriations, that 99.8% of the funding for Ukraine had been allocated by the end of the fiscal year.

The senator noted that this is unacceptable.

“The fact that they’re finally doing this, as if on the very last possible day, tells you everything you need to know about this relationship,” he said regarding the untimely notification and failure to comply with the law.

Commitments to Ukraine

The Pentagon committed to disbursing nearly all of the $400 million in aid provided by Congress to Ukraine one day before the funds were set to expire, Coons said.

This confirmation marks the culmination of the Pentagon’s last-minute efforts to disburse the funds before the end of the fiscal year on September 30. As of the end of July, none of these funds had been disbursed.

As reported by Reuters, the department committed last week to allocating $307 million and planned to allocate the remaining $93 million by the September 30 deadline.

Senators' Push

Lawmakers from both parties have been pressuring the Pentagon for months to take action.

At a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on April 30, Pentagon Comptroller Jules Hurst stated that funding had recently been allocated and would be “rolled out very soon.”

The department then missed the May 15 deadline it had given Congress to submit a spending plan.

What’s Included in the Aid to Ukraine

The Pentagon’s plan included:

• $200 million for weapons, ammunition, and explosives,

• $99.9 million for vehicles, spare parts, and equipment,

• $100 million for services such as the transportation of military equipment.

Subsequent contracts include offensive weapons and spare parts for armored vehicles, but do not include Patriot interceptors.

Koons said that the Pentagon had provided lawmakers with some information on how the money would be used but had not yet reviewed it.

This was reported with reference to a statement by U.S. Senator Chris Coons, according to The Washington Sun.

The Pentagon has released $400 million in aid to Ukraine following a delay, according to Hegset.

The U.S. plans to finalize $93 million in aid to Ukraine by September 30, according to The Japan Times.