The Pentagon will give Ukraine about $300 million in weapons after finding some savings in its contracts, senior defense officials said March 12. Radio Free Europe (RSE).
It's the first announced Pentagon security package for Ukraine since December, when the Pentagon admitted it didn't have the funds to fill it.
Only in recent days have officials publicly admitted that they have not only run out of funds to replenish the weapons, but that they have exceeded $10 billion.
The replenishment funds allowed the Pentagon to withdraw existing munitions, air defense systems and other weapons from its reserve stockpile, ship them to Ukraine, and then enter into contracts to replace those weapons.
The aid announcement comes as Polish leaders in Washington have pressed the US to provide funds for Ukraine at a critical time in the war.
Polish President Andrzej Duda met with Democratic and Republican leaders in the House and Senate on March 12 and was scheduled to meet with President Joe Biden later in the day.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly asked Congress for help, but the Republican leadership of the House of Representatives was not ready to put the issue of aid to Ukraine to a vote, saying that any aid must first address US border security needs.
Senior defense officials said the Pentagon had managed to save about $300 million in earlier contracts with Ukraine and, given the situation on the battlefield, decided to use those savings to go ahead and send more weapons.
