A group of US senators approached Secretary of Defense (War) Pete Hegseth about funding military assistance to Ukraine and a number of European countries. The Associated Press writes about this.
In the letter, lawmakers demand clarification on the $400 million in aid to Ukraine and another $200 million in defense programs for Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania allocated last year.
The appeal was supported by senators from both the Democratic and ruling Republican parties.
“Ukraine has persistently and courageously repelled Russian offensives for four years, but its military needs and deserves continued American support,” Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin and Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley said in a joint letter. It was also signed by Republican Senators Kevin Cramer and Thom Tillis, as well as Democrats Michael Bennet and Catherine Cortez Masto.
The agency points out that in April, at a congressional hearing, Hegseth said that funding for Ukraine had already been “unblocked” and a spending plan would soon be revealed. However, senators argue that the Pentagon has not fulfilled its promise to deliver this plan by May 15.
“Any further delays – especially amid reports of a planned withdrawal of US troops from the region – jeopardize our ability to effectively deter Russia,” the statement said.
