Pentagon 'exhausted nearly all' Ukraine funding, needs to replenish US stockpile, comptroller says

The Defense Department has "exhausted nearly all" security funding for Ukraine and is in need of funding to replenish U.S. military supplies and weapons stockpiles that were given to Ukraine, Pentagon Comptroller Michael McCord said in a letter to Congress.

McCord expressed a "deep concern with the absence of security assistance funding for Ukraine," in his letter last week. Over the weekend, Congress passed a short-term funding bill to avoid a government shutdown, but it did not include any aid to Ukraine in its fight against Russia.

"DoD has exhausted nearly all available security assistance funding for Ukraine," McCord also wrote.

The Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative is completely out of funding and of the $25.9 billion that Congress allocated to replenish U.S. military stockpiles, just $1.6 billion is left, he also said. 

"We have already been forced to slow down the replenishment of our own forces to hedge against an uncertain funding future. Failure to replenish our military services on a timely basis could harm our military's readiness," McCord also said.

He added that cutting off funding would "send a negative signal to our defense industrial base," as it is producing more munitions for the war, which has increased the number of jobs.

Congressional Republicans have been urging greater oversight over Ukraine funding over concerns of potential corruption.

The matter came to a head Monday when conservative Florida GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz said he would delay his effort to oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy until the California Republican explains an alleged "secret side deal with Joe Biden on Ukraine."

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