Pentagon official: US defence budget for 2027 omits new Ukraine aid funding

Department of Defence’s Chief Financial Officer Jules Hurst has said that the Pentagon’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2027 does not include new funding under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI).

Speaking during congressional hearings, he noted that approximately $400 million previously approved by Congress for Ukraine assistance has not yet been placed under contract. According to Hurst, the eventual use of those funds will depend on the specific weapons systems Ukraine chooses to procure, Caliber.Az reports. 

The allocation in question was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives in September 2025 and was intended to be incorporated into the fiscal year 2026 defence spending bill, which took effect on October 1, 2025.

The statement comes amid ongoing debate in Washington over the scale and structure of U.S. military assistance to Ukraine.

Earlier, Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth stated that total U.S. spending related to military assistance for Ukraine had reached approximately $300 billion. He also criticised the level of spending under the Biden administration, describing it as excessive.

By Sabina Mammadli