Pentagon reveals remaining funds for Ukraine aid program

The Pentagon currently has $5.9 billion remaining in its urgent military aid program for Ukraine, known as the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA).

This was disclosed by Patrick Ryder, an official spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Defence, during a broadcast on C-Span, per Caliber.Az.

Ryder indicated that nearly all of these funds will be depleted if Congress does not extend the PDA authority for the next fiscal year.

“Almost all the funds will ‘burn’ if Congress does not extend the authority for the next fiscal year,” Ryder stated. He further noted that by the end of the current fiscal year, only $100 million of the total amount is expected to be left.

Despite the looming expiration of the funds, Ryder assured that the Pentagon plans to continue allocating new aid packages in the near future. He also mentioned that the Department of Defence is actively working with Congress to extend the PDA authority beyond the current fiscal year to ensure continued support for Ukraine.

The urgency of the situation is underscored by concerns that a potential federal government shutdown could arise if a new draft of the U.S. budget for 2025 is not agreed upon by Democrats and Republicans by early October. Such a shutdown could jeopardize Washington’s ability to provide further assistance to Ukraine under the PDA program.

In a related development, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on September 11 a new $700 million aid package for Ukraine. This package is designated for energy support, humanitarian aid, and assistance with demining efforts.