Washington: The Trump administration is moving to commit almost all of the $400 million in military assistance approved by the US Congress for Ukraine before a September 30 deadline, bringing forward the timetable for committing the funds from an earlier plan that extended spending into 2029.
About $307 million of the funding had already been obligated by early this week, while the remaining $93 million is expected to be committed before the end of the US fiscal year on September 30, according to people familiar with the plan.
The funding was approved by Congress under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, or USAI. It is not a newly announced $400 million aid package. Instead, the latest development concerns the timing of previously approved assistance and is expected to prevent the money from expiring at the end of the fiscal year.
The first deliveries of equipment under the programme began in September. However, committing the money before the deadline does not mean that all of the military equipment will reach Ukraine immediately. The remaining deliveries could continue through 2029.
The change marks a significant shift from the timetable reported earlier this year. In July, the Pentagon had told members of Congress that it expected to complete spending the $400 million during fiscal year 2029. The earlier plan drew criticism from lawmakers, including some Republicans, who questioned why assistance approved by Congress was being obligated so slowly while Ukraine continued to face attacks from Russia.
The latest plan brings most of the financial commitment forward, but the delivery schedule remains much longer. The distinction is important because funds can be legally committed before equipment is delivered to Ukrainian forces.
The package includes offensive weapons, equipment and spare parts for armoured vehicles, according to the people familiar with the plan. Patriot missiles are not included in this particular $400 million package.
The Pentagon did not provide a public comment on the latest spending plan.
The decision comes as Ukraine continues to seek military support from the United States and European countries while also pursuing diplomatic efforts to end the war with Russia.
US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy met in New York on September 22 on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. Their discussions took place as Washington and Kyiv continued efforts to explore possible steps towards reducing the fighting.
Zelenskiy has backed an agreement to halt attacks on energy infrastructure as part of wider efforts to reduce the fighting and revive negotiations. The diplomatic contacts have not produced a confirmed peace agreement, and fighting between Russia and Ukraine continues.
Zelenskiy has also said that the United States proposed a technical level meeting involving the United States, Ukraine and Russia in the United Arab Emirates. The proposal has not been presented as a confirmed peace agreement or a completed negotiation.
The latest decision comes as Washington is pursuing military, economic and diplomatic measures related to the war. Trump has also signed legislation imposing new sanctions on Russia as the United States continues to press Moscow over the conflict.
For Ukraine, the immediate significance of the latest move is that the previously approved $400 million is now expected to be committed before the September 30 deadline rather than being left largely unspent for several years.
However, the decision does not establish the scale of future US military assistance to Ukraine. The $400 million represents funding already approved by Congress, while questions remain about what additional support Washington may provide and how quickly equipment already committed will reach Ukrainian forces.
The case also highlights the difference between committing military funds and delivering the equipment to Ukraine. While most of the money is expected to be committed before the September 30 deadline, some of the equipment may not reach Ukraine until much later.