Pentagon overestimated value of weapons for Ukraine by $3bn

The Pentagon overestimated the value of weapons sent to Ukraine by $3bn in an accounting error that may affect when the current funds for arming the war-torn country run out, said people familiar with the matter.

The error occurred by incorrectly using the cost of replacing the weapons sent from US stockpiles with new equipment, rather than the purchase price plus depreciation, one of the people said. Reuters first reported the Pentagon’s overestimation of the value of assistance to Ukraine.

Congress last year approved $48bn in assistance for Ukraine, including $21.7bn for military equipment and money to replace Pentagon weaponry that has been sent to the country.

Some lawmakers thought those funds would run out by the end of the summer. US officials have told the Financial Times that they would last until October, though it is unclear how the error may change that timetable.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022, the US has committed some $37bn in lethal aid to Ukraine, such as Javelin and Stinger missile systems, heavy artillery, tanks, a Patriot air defence battery and other air defence systems. Much of that has come from US stockpiles but it has also included funds for weapons contracts.

It will be up to the White House to decide when to seek new assistance for Kyiv. Washington and its allies have been sending military aid to Ukraine ahead of a planned counter-offensive that they hope will help it gain momentum in the war.

But some of Ukraine’s allies worry about what will happen when the current funds run out, with senior European officials increasingly concerned about the flow of aid next year as the US enters a divisive presidential campaign.

“The Department of Defense’s change in evaluating the costs of arms sent to Ukraine is a major mistake,” Roger Wicker, the Republican Senator from Mississippi, said.

He added: “Its effect would be to underestimate future needs for our European allies. Our priority should be a Ukrainian victory over [Vladimir] Putin. Unilaterally altering military aid calculations is an attempt at deception and undermines this goal.”