A seemingly endless supply of U.S. funds to support Ukraine in its war against Russia just increased by another $325 million.
In an announcement this week, the Biden administration confirmed the latest investment, which includes a range of ammunition, weapons, and other military equipment. The delivery comes on the heels of news that the Ukrainian army obtained a Patriot missile system built in the U.S.
President Joe Biden has ignored calls from a growing number of Republicans who believe America is sending money and equipment to Ukraine to the detriment of its own military readiness.
Earlier this month, the White House announced another aid package worth a whopping $2.6 billion.
This most recent shipment is just the latest example of Biden using his executive authority to prop up Ukraine’s military. In total, he has used the Presidential Drawdown Authority three dozen times since Russia’s invasion just over a year ago.
All told, these drawdowns have tipped the scale at almost $36 billion.
Amid calls to halt or reduce the amount of money being sent to Ukraine, Biden commemorated the one-year anniversary of the invasion by reiterating his belief that the delivery of U.S. cash and weaponry should continue indefinitely.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen shared a similar message during her visit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in February.
“I bring to Kyiv a clear message from President Biden and the American people: We will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes,” she said.
In addition to concerns about depleting the U.S. military budget, many critics of the Biden administration’s approach have raised the issue of corruption among Ukrainian officials as a reason to be wary about allocating so much money.
This week we learned Zelenskyy embezzled $400 million from US fuel aid.
As if pushing US politicians to establish a no fly zone, and refusing all negotiations with Russia under any terms wasn't enough.
No more entangling alliances.
All US funding for Ukraine must end. pic.twitter.com/aRq40EJskO
— Libertarian Party (@LPNational) April 15, 2023
John Sopko, who witnessed such corruption during his service as special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction, said that any country is vulnerable to fraud when such a large amount of resources are coming in without proper regulation.
“When you spend so much money so quickly, with so little oversight, you’re going to have fraud, waste and abuse,” he explained. “Massive amounts.”
As far back as January, polling showed that a majority of Republicans wanted their congressional representatives to vote against sending more aid to Ukraine.
