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By   Gary   Raynaldo    DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

WASHINGTON   DC  –   PENTAGON   –  The Pentagon will run out of money next week to send weapons and equipment to Ukraine unless Congress acts swiftly and approves the $40  billion President Biden has requested  in additional security, economic and humanitarian assistance for Kyiv, a Pentagon spokesperson said Friday.  The Biden White House has reached the end of its presidential drawdown authority funding, with about $100 million left,  Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby told reporters at a briefing Friday. 

“…we’ve got about $100 million left on current authority that has not been allocated or announced. And as the Secretary made clear, that we really would like to get the approval for additional authorities before the third week of this month so that we can continue uninterrupted the flow of aid and assistance into Ukraine. So obviously we continue to urge the Senate to act as quickly as possible so that we don’t get to the end of May and not have any additional authorities to draw back — to draw upon. But we believe with the authorities we have left, the hundred million dollars we have left, that will help us get more assistance into Ukraine, you know, by about the third week of — the third week of this month, towards the end of the month. So we really would like to get this approved quickly so that again we can continue to source additional drawdown packages and without interruption.”

-Pentagon Press Secretary Kirby

DIPLOMATIC  TIMES  VIDEO  –     Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby briefs reporters at the Pentagon on the Russia-Ukraine situation in Washington DC. May 13, 2022.

Photo by Gary Raynaldo  /  ©Diplomatic Times /  Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby briefs reporters at the Pentagon on the Russia-Ukraine situation in Washington DC. May 13, 2022. 

The security assistance includes artillery rounds, radars, electronic jamming equipment.  On Thursday, Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul delayed until next week Senate approval of an additional $40 billion to help Ukraine and its allies withstand Russia’s three-month old invasion.   Supporters of the $40 billion aid package to bolster Ukraine’s defenses hoped it would be passed and on President Biden’s desk by Friday for signing.