TRANSCRIPT: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan [Excerpt re: Ukraine]

(The White House – whitehouse.gov – Dec. 4, 2023)

“… MR. SULLIVAN: On Ukraine, as you’ve all seen, earlier today, OMB Director Shalanda Young sent a letter to congressional leaders — which Karine was just referencing — explaining that without congressional action, the administration will run out of resources by the end of the year to procure more weapons and equipment for Ukraine and to provide equipment from U.S. military stocks without impacting our own military readiness.

The resources Congress has provided for Ukraine and other national security needs have halted Russia’s advances in Ukraine; helped Ukraine achieve significant military victories, including taking back more than 50 percent of the territory that Russia had previously occupied; and, by revitalizing our own defense industrial base, jumpstarting and expanding production lines and supporting good-paying jobs across the country.

Now it’s up to Congress. Congress has to decide whether to continue to support the fight for freedom in Ukraine as part of the 50-nation coalition that President Biden has built or whether Congress will ignore the lessons we’ve learned from history and let Putin prevail.

It is that simple. It is that stark a choice. And we hope that Congress, on a bipartisan basis, will make the right choice.

‘Tere is no magical pot of funding available to meet this moment.’ As Director Young said, ‘We’re [running] out of money—and [we are] nearly out of time.

Congress has to act now to take up the President’s supplemental request, which advances our own national security and helps a democratic partner in Ukraine fight against Russian aggression. …’

[post also appeared at whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2023/12/04/press-briefing-by-press-secretary-karine-jean-pierre-and-national-security-advisor-jake-sullivan-10/]