Pentagon accounting error frees up $3 billion for Ukraine weapons

May 19, 2023

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Stacey Chamberlain (Writer/Producer/Editor)

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A significant accounting error by the U.S. could serve to benefit Ukraine in its war against Russia. $3 billion dollars. That’s amount the Pentagon says it overestimated in weapons sent to Ukraine since the war began. That clerical error will allow the Defense Department to send more weapons to Ukraine without having to ask Congress for more money.

From the start of the war, the U.S. has sent nearly $37 billion in military aid to Ukraine. But according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, the Biden administration and Congress have directed more than $75 billion in assistance to Ukraine, including humanitarian and financial support.

The Pentagon’s revelation of the multi-billion-dollar error comes at a time when some lawmakers are questioning whether the current level of support should continue. The Pentagon has been under increased pressure by Congress to show accountability for the billions of dollars in aid it has sent to Ukraine.

Now, as Ukraine gears up for a counteroffensive against Russia, which President Zelenskyy said was delayed due to a lack of supplies, the U.S. may be the one to lend a helping hand… again. But the money could be drying up.

The $48 billion Ukraine aid package that Congress approved in December is dwindling. According to Politico, there’s $6 billion left, which means the funding for Ukraine could dry up by midsummer. It is unknown if the Biden administration will ask Congress for another major package.

In the meantime, President Zelenskyy, who was supposed to be at the G-7 summit in Japan with other world leaders, announced May 19 that he will be participating remotely.

It’s a pivot from what was announced earlier in the day on Ukrainian TV, when the secretary of National Security and Defense said the president would be attending in person to ask for further assistance.

Zelenskyy was in Saudi Arabia on May 19, addressing a summit of Arab leaders. In recent months, he’s been making foreign trips to shore up diplomatic support for Ukraine’s fight against Russia and to solicit more military support.

Tags: Russia, The Pentagon, Ukraine, Ukraine aid, Volodymyr Zelenskyy

KARAH RUCKER: AN ASTONISHING ACCOUNTING ERROR BY THE U-S COULD SERVE TO BENEFIT UKRAINE IN ITS WAR AGAINST RUSSIA.

3-BILLION DOLLARS. THAT’S HOW MUCH THE PENTAGON SAYS IT OVERESTIMATED THE VALUE OF WEAPONS THE U-S HAS SENT TO UKRAINE SINCE THE WAR BEGAN.

THAT CLERICAL ERROR WILL ALLOW THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT TO SEND MORE WEAPONS TO UKRAINE WITHOUT HAVING TO ASK CONGRESS FOR MORE MONEY.

FROM THE START OF THE WAR – THE U-S HAS SENT NEARLY 37-BILLION IN MILITARY AID TO UKRAINE. BUT ACCORDING TO THE KIEL INSTITUTE FOR THE WORLD ECONOMY, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION AND CONGRESS HAVE DIRECTED MORE THAN 75-BILLION IN ASSISTANCE TO UKRAINE, INCLUDING HUMANITARIAN, AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT.

THE PENTAGON’S REVELATION OF THE MULTI-BILLION-DOLLAR ERROR COMES AT A TIME WHEN SOME LAWMAKERS ARE QUESTIONING WHETHER THE CURRENT LEVEL OF SUPPORT SHOULD CONTINUE. THE PENTAGON HAS BEEN UNDER INCREASED PRESSURE BY CONGRESS TO SHOW ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN AID IT HAS SENT TO UKRAINE.

NOW, AS UKRAINE GEARS UP FOR A COUNTEROFFENSIVE AGAINST RUSSIAN – WHICH PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY SAID WAS DELAYED DUE TO A LACK OF SUPPLIES – THE U.S MAY BE THE ONE TO LEND A HELPING HAND…AGAIN.

BUT THE MONEY-WELL COULD BE DRYING UP.

THE 48-BILLION UKRAINE AID PACKAGE THAT CONGRESS APPROVED IN DECEMBER IS DWINDLING. ACCORDING TO POLITICO, THERE’S 6-BILLION LEFT, WHICH MEANS THE FUNDING FOR UKRAINE COULD DRY UP BY MIDSUMMER.

ITS UNKNOWN IF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION WILL ASK CONGRESS FOR ANOTHER MAJOR PACKAGE.

IN THE MEANTIME, PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY – WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AT THE G-7 SUMMIT THIS WEEKEND IN JAPAN WITH OTHER WORLD LEADERS – ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT HE WILL BE PARTICIPATING REMOTELY.

IT’S A PIVOT FROM WHAT WAS ANNOUNCED EARLIER TODAY ON UKRAINIAN TV – WHEN THE SECRETARY OF NATIONAL SECURITY AND DEFENSE SAID THE PRESIDENT WOULD BE ATTENDING IN-PERSON TO ASK FOR FURTHER ASSISTANCE.

ZELENSKYY WAS IN SAUDI ARABIA ON FRIDAY, ADDRESSING A SUMMIT OF ARAB LEADERS. IN RECENT MONTHS HE’S BEEN MAKING FOREIGN TRIPS TO SHORE UP DIPLOMATIC SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE’S FIGHT AGAINST RUSSIA AND TO SOLICIT MORE MILITARY SUPPORT.