As Congress gets ready to go on holiday recess, it is uncertain whether a new aid package for Ukraine will be agreed upon before lawmakers leave Washington. This has caused concern among experts about the Ukrainian armed forces’ ability to continue resisting Russia’s invasion.
The U.S. has already allocated over $100 billion to arm and support Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. President Joe Biden is seeking approval for another $60 billion from Congress. However, Republican lawmakers have become increasingly doubtful about the necessity of continuing to fund Ukraine’s defense.
In recent weeks, Senate Republicans have stated that they will only approve additional funding for Ukraine if there are simultaneous immigration rule improvements targeting the U.S. southern border. The focus is currently on negotiations in the Senate between a small group of lawmakers from both parties, along with representatives from the Biden administration, attempting to reach an agreement that will garner enough support from both sides.
While an agreement that passes the Senate is uncertain to survive in the House of Representatives, where Republicans hold a small majority, it is unclear whether an aid package for Ukraine can be passed before the year’s end.
Worries about U.S. funding for Ukraine heightened after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán vetoed the European Union’s proposed $52 billion aid package for Ukraine, following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s celebration of Ukraine losing support in the West.
Ongoing delays in additional funding from the U.S. would negatively impact Ukraine on the battlefield. Experts disagree on the timeline for the effects of the delay, but both agree that it would exacerbate Ukraine’s shortages of essential military resources.
Retired U.S. Army colonel Gian Gentile believes that a delay in U.S. funding could take a few months to become apparent on the battlefield and could have a major impact on the dynamics of the war, giving Russia more time and space to prepare for another offensive.
Two years into the conflict, Russia has transformed into a wartime economy, increasing their production of arms and military resources. Any delay in U.S. aid funding would come at a crucial time considering current conditions in Russia.