The Department of Defense’s support for Ukraine will not stop in the event of a government shutdown, which would occur if Congress doesn’t come to a funding agreement before the end of the month.
The determination, made by the Pentagon, will allow the U.S. military’s training for Ukrainian troops and the transfer of weapons to continue as Ukraine continues efforts to reclaim Russian-occupied territory before the winter conditions make it harder to conduct these operations.
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“Operation Atlantic Resolve is an excepted activity under a government lapse in appropriations,” Defense Department spokesman Chris Sherwood told the Washington Examiner, referencing the department’s effort to support Ukraine and assist NATO’s eastern flank. Operation Atlantic Resolve was formed in 2014 in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine’s Crimea.
He did warn earlier this week that the delivery of equipment and the training efforts “could be impacted by furloughs of personnel and DOD’s suspension” of activities not determined to be essential for national security.
The Biden administration announced in January that it would provide Ukraine with 31 M1 Abrams tanks, the size of one Ukrainian tank battalion, and Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder told reporters on Thursday, "We expect them to arrive in Ukraine in the coming days and weeks."
More recently, the administration announced it would support international efforts to get Ukraine fourth-generation aircraft. Ukrainian pilots are currently undergoing English language training to learn the highly specialized and technical aspects of the F-16, before they are able to start the flying training.
"On F-16 training, to my knowledge, that training in Denmark has already begun, but as it relates to the training here in the United States, we do expect Ukrainian pilots and maintainers to arrive in the United States soon to conduct the initial English language training, and then the pilot training to start in the — in the weeks after that," Ryder added.
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Congress has until the end of the month to pass legislation to fund the government by the end of September or the government will shut down. House Republicans, despite being in the majority, are deeply divided over possible spending cuts, with hard-line conservatives applying pressure to Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) to get additional concessions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was in Washington, D.C., this week, where he met with defense and congressional leaders and President Joe Biden. The White House and Pentagon greeted him with promises of consistent and timely aid moving forward, whereas Congress is much more divided on the prospects of continuing to provide aid to Ukraine.