The United States did not utilize the lend-lease law, adopted in the spring of 2022, to assist Ukraine. A similar law can be approved again.
This was stated in an interview with RBC-Ukraine by American diplomat and former U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker.
"I would also like to see new legislation that allows for lend-lease. Because it should be hundreds of billions that Ukraine can borrow at its discretion," he said.
As Volker noted, there was no supply of weapons under the lend-lease law.
"We never used it. The term of the lend-lease law expired on October 31, 2023. It could have been re-adopted, and I think it would have been a very sensible idea, in addition to a new aid package," added the American diplomat.
The lend-lease law was signed by U.S. President Joe Biden on May 9, 2022. Among other things, it expanded the powers of the U.S. president in agreements regarding the supply of military aid to Ukraine. It effectively allows for lending or leasing military equipment through simplified export control procedures.
It allowed the White House to provide Ukraine with weapons, equipment, ammunition, and dual-use products through an expedited procedure, without waiting for a special allocation of funds by the U.S. Congress.
The lend-lease programme was last active during World War II when the United States provided military aid to opponents of Nazi Germany, primarily to Great Britain and the Soviet Union.
However, the United States did not provide weapons to Ukraine under lend-lease because there was no need. All assistance was provided free of charge.
However, since the end of 2023, the United States has effectively suspended assistance to Ukraine as the $60 billion aid package has been blocked in the U.S. House of Representatives.
