Pentagon spokesman hints US air defences continue to flow to Ukraine

Pentagon spokesperson General Pat Ryder hinted on Feb. 9 that air defence missiles and other capabilities are still flowing to Ukraine under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI).

Congress authorized $300 million for long-term defence contracts under USAI for Ukraine in December 2023. A much larger package of $60 billion remains stalled by disputes in Congress, greatly limiting Washington's capability to provide assistance to the besieged country, The Kyiv Independent reports.

When asked by a reporter whether the US continues providing air defences to Ukraine under USAI, Ryder said he cannot provide a number but said that "there are certain capabilities that were contracted under USAI, which does include some air defence capabilities."

When asked again whether there are "flowing US air defence missiles to Ukraine, right now," Ryder responded: "To my knowledge, that and other capabilities that we've announced as it relates to USAI."

Air defence capabilities, such as US Patriot systems, play a crucial role in protecting Ukraine against regular Russian attacks. Russia launched several massive missile and drone strikes in the past weeks and months, most recently on Feb. 7.

The US has been Ukraine's chief provider of military aid since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, but domestic politics have increasingly made US aid a partisan issue. Republican lawmakers have blocked aid for months now, effectively causing the flow of security assistance to run dry.

There has been at least a partial breakthrough recently, as the Senate voted on Feb. 8 to move the $95 billion foreign aid bill, including $60 billion for Ukraine, forward in a procedural vote.

Pentagon officials have repeatedly warned that aid provided under the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), which is separate from USAI, has run out and cannot be restored without Congress approving the funding.