The U.S. can’t do anything to prevent disaster in Ukraine unless Congress acts to pass President Joe Biden’s $106 billion war budget request, was the message given by Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young. She spoke during a breakfast with journalists yesterday hosted by the Christian Science Monitor. While the administration still has presidential drawdown authority, which allows it to pull weapons from existing U.S. stockpiles and send them quickly to Ukraine, officials have decided to forgo that authority because Congress has not approved additional money to essentially backfill that equipment—a move that Young said was a “very tough decision,” reported The Associated Press
Young also detailed the impact that a lack of additional U.S. aid would have on Ukraine aside from its military capabilities, such as Kiev being able to pay its civil servants to ensure that its government can continue to function amid Russia’s barrage.
