U.S. Accounting Error Frees $3-B For Ukraine Weapons Shipments

The Biden administration made an accounting error in assessing the value of the US military support for Ukraine to date, freeing up $3 billion more in aid, making it unnecessary for Congress to pass an additional assistance package before the end of the fiscal year in September, congressional and administration officials told CNN.

Photo Insert: The error – which lawmakers and congressional staffers were briefed on Thursday – triggered frustration from Republicans on the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services committees.

The error – which lawmakers and congressional staffers were briefed on Thursday – triggered frustration from Republicans on the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services committees.

They believe the mistake reduced the amount of US support that went to Ukraine leading up to the counteroffensive, Kylie Atwood, Oren Liebermann and Natasha Bertrand reported for CNN.

“The revelation of a three-billion-dollar accounting error discovered two months ago and only today shared with Congress is extremely problematic, to say the least. These funds could have been used for extra supplies and weapons for the upcoming counteroffensive, instead of rationing funds to last for the remainder of the fiscal year,” wrote House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul and House Armed Services Chairman Mike Rogers in a statement Thursday.

Before this new information came to light, the Pentagon had said there was only $2.3 billion available for Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) for Ukraine. It turns out $5.3 billion is still available, far more than even the largest single package provided to Ukraine.

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