Ukraine War Aid: Where Have U.S. Funds Gone and Why Has Support Stalled? | WSJ

The political stalemate in Washington is now impairing Ukraine’s efforts to repel Russia’s invasion. House Republicans say they won’t support tens of billions of dollars in additional aid to the war-torn country without a deal on border security on the southern U.S. border. With deliveries of military aid to Ukrainian troops continuing to decline, Kyiv could be hard pressed to replace its losses and maintain its front lines.

WSJ explores where U.S. aid has gone so far and what could happen if additional funding remains stalled.

Chapters:
0:00 Political stalemate causing funding issues
0:41 U.S. funding so far
3:32 Waning support for Ukraine
4:22 Proposed aid holdup
4:52 What happens if Ukraine doesn’t get more aid?

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[Bdigital]

Meanwhile, a pentagon audit can’t even tell you the actual size of the U.S. military. Our military has not a clue what it actually owns.

[planetmikusha]

So the US government is accounting for equipment at replacement cost and not depreciated cost according to this report. The US taxpayers are sending even Vietnam War vintage M113 armored personnel and M109 self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine, and the US government credits this support by its replacement value. Imagine you given a 1972 Ford Pinto to someone, and you account for it as having a value of $30, 000 which is what a new sedan would cost!

[motomarty]

These bureaucrats make me sick to my stomach.

[bobmcnelis]

So, we send them the used equipment from our “junk drawer”, and we go out and buy the best that money can buy, and say “Look at all the money we are spending on and in Ukraine”!

[Deeplycloseted]

I love how the media pretends they don’t understand what happened. Our “best buddy” got attacked, so “keep going Ukraine we got your back” suddenly became “this isn’t working you should talk to Putin”.

[ScottReynolds]

All of these weapons are ridiculously priced. All the suppliers are gouging us for a tax dollars

[cliffrunner]

The military-industrial complex is an independent empire in the United States. It needs wars and conflicts from the entire world to flourish. It gives me chill every time I think of this.

[Iamthedudeman]

I know it feels like not much progress has been made, but that is much due to Russia’s initial incompetence that got us overly confident. Considering that US and NATO has mainly provided defensive weapon to Ukraine, and Ukraine is still holding the line so far, itself is already a respectable feat. I think it is just that we start to grow impatient and Russia is counting down to the day that Ukraine aid stops.

[williamguru]

The money has mostly went into the pockets of a few at the top of the military industrial complex.

[Riomojo]

If you can’t defend yourself in war with $114, 000, 000, 000 of free money, you deserve to lose.

[ludimilojko]

Ukraine does not need weapons, it needs a

[lovebaltazar]

Ukraine can exhaust russia's stockpiles if they keep receiving support from other countries, that's how they win. No side will run out of soldiers.

[heetheet]

EU just passed 50 billion for Ukraine, it's not dwindling. We're here for the long haul.

[mannyhernandez]

Surplus military equipment still retains a dollar value. This does not mean new money spent, it means inventory levels.

[Leo-xef]

US tax payers money for US citizens, not for stupid wars

[hagenneulen]

Plese don‘t forget defense spending from European nations to US defense companies - probably much more in for US economy than US spending for Ukraine. By the way: US military spending was about surplus stocks which partly was due for scrapping (Eg cluster munitions)

[jaytm]

Gotta love how us Americans made a deal with Ukraine in the 1990s (I believe, dates may be different), if Ukraine, then number 3 nuclear power in the world gives up their nukes to Russia. We promised to protect them against all Russian agression. We’re doing a horrible job at keeping our word.

[bubbadogproductions]

When the US puts a aid package together, they don't just pack a briefcase with 20s and fly it to Ukraine. Much of the funds allocated is spent in the US on equipment and ammo, which means pay checks for American workers.

[NICHOLAS-hp]

There is absolutely no reason that a Javeline should still cost $200K. That’s just gouging to the max. If Iran had the technology, they’d produce it for 1/10 of that and still turn a profit.

[brambledemon]

Does Ukraine need aid? Every day I get off the highway I drive by a homeless encampment. People can't pay their crazy rents, food prices, and medical expenses, but by all means let's send more money to the Ukraine and Israel.