US May Tap Pentagon Arms, Ammo Stockpiles for Ukraine

(Evan Vucci/Getty Images)

The Biden administration is reportedly considering tapping into Pentagon stockpiles to give Ukraine much-needed arms and ammunition — even though the government has run out of money to replace them.

The New York Times reported the quick-fix would be a short-term measure to help Ukraine’s armed forces until Congress approves a larger military-aid package. The drawdown option was first reported by CNN.

“It’s something that I know is on the table,” Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., who leads the Armed Services Committee, told the Times, adding he would support the measure in “incremental uses to buy time.”

The U.S. has given Ukraine about $44.2 billion in military aid since Russia launched its invasion two years ago, the Times reported. About half has been sent under “presidential drawdown authority” and the last shipment was in December, the Times reported.

The Biden administration still has authority from Congress to draw down about $4 billion worth of weapons and ammunition — but exhausted a separate fund in December that replenished munitions donated to Ukraine, the outlet reported.

It is Ukraine’s dire predicament on the battlefield that is changing thinking about risking U.S. military readiness to dip into Department of Defense stockpiles without being able to replace them, the outlet reported.

In mid-February, after Ukraine withdrew from Avdiivka, the Senate passed an emergency aid bill including $60.1 billion for Ukraine. The measure faces an uncertain fate in the House.

The administration is not publicly discussing the drawdown option.

“We are focused on urging the House of Representatives to pass the national security supplemental package as soon as possible,” Adrienne Watson, a spokeswoman for the National Security Council, told the Times.

“Ukraine needs the full resources in that package, and Speaker Johnson should put it to a vote, where it would overwhelmingly pass, since there is no other way to fully meet Ukraine’s needs.”

But military officials say they are ready to rush arms to Ukraine when they get the green light.

“We are still meeting every day, still tracking everything that we would need to be able to send once that gets approved,” Lt. Gen. Leonard J. Kosinski, the logistics director for the military’s joint staff, said Wednesday.