Pentagon delays $400M Ukraine aid spending until 2029

In May, the U.S. Department of Defense sent a letter to members of Congress outlining a spending plan for $400 million（約640億円） in authorized aid to Ukraine. According to a source familiar with the document, the Pentagon stated it would not finish spending these funds until fiscal year 2029. The announcement has drawn criticism from Democrats and some Republicans, both of whom had backed the aid authorization in the previous year. Two months after the letter was sent in May, the funds had not been disbursed or even obligated by being put on contract, the source said. This delay occurs as Ukraine faces a critical shortage of weapons and continues to fend off Russian missile attacks. The extended timeline contrasts with the earlier bipartisan support for Ukraine aid in Congress, raising questions about the pace of military support under the current administration.

The Pentagon's announcement in May that it would stretch $400 million（約640億円） in authorized Ukraine aid spending through fiscal year 2029 represents a significant shift in the pace of U.S. military support for Kyiv. The timing is notable because it comes under the Trump administration, which has been less committed to Ukraine aid than its predecessor. The fact that the funds remain neither disbursed nor obligated months after the letter was sent suggests the delay is not merely a matter of slow processing but a deliberate spending plan. The criticism from both parties underscores that Ukraine aid had enjoyed rare bipartisan consensus in the previous Congress, making the Pentagon's extended timeline a departure from that momentum. With Ukraine facing a critical shortage of weapons amid ongoing Russian missile attacks, the practical impact of stretching spending across several years could be significant for Kyiv's near-term defensive capacity.