The White House commented on the status of Lend-Lease for Ukraine.

“We are currently focused on providing Ukraine with military aid, for which they will not need to reimburse the funds,” the White House official answered to the request of the Voice of America.

He added that the Lend-Lease program suggests a refund for the equipment received, while the other programs under which the United States is currently providing aid to Ukraine – the Ukraine Security Promotion Initiative and the Presidential Empowerment Program – do not suggest this refund.

The latest batches of American weapons supplied to Ukraine were going through these free programs.

Currently, the Presidential Administration uses funds allocated by the Congress of the United States.

This covers a $ 40 billion package, more than half of which is devoted to military aid and related expenses.

These funds must be spent by the end of the US fiscal year, which will come at the end of September.

For his part, National Security Council and Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby stated that the Administration is still reviewing the Lend-Lease powers.

“We are grateful to Congress for this legislation. It was passed on a bipartisan basis, and it clearly shows how much members of Congress value the support given to Ukraine and want to make sure we can continue to do so,” John Kirby said.

Just last Friday, President Biden signed another $400 million in military aid to Ukraine under the Presidential Authorization Program.

As previously reported, the law on lend-lease, among other things, expands the powers of the US president in agreements regarding the supply of military aid to Ukraine. In fact, it allows lending or leasing military equipment under simplified export control procedures.

It allows the White House to provide weapons, equipment, ammunition, and dual-use products to Ukraine under an accelerated procedure without waiting for a special allocation of funds for this by the US Congress.