Bipartisan US senators demand release of blocked Ukraine aid
Photo: US Republican Senator Thom Tillis (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
A bipartisan group of US senators has sent a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth demanding that $600 million in aid for Ukraine and allies in Eastern Europe finally be released, according to AP.
What's happening
$400 million is earmarked for Ukraine, with another $200 million designated for defense programs in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Three weeks ago, Hegseth assured Congress that the funds were "unblocked" and that a spending plan would be submitted by May 15. The deadline has passed — no plan has been delivered.
"Any further delays — particularly as the Department reportedly plans troubling US troops withdrawals from the region — risks our ability to adequately deter Russia," the senators wrote in their letter.
Who signed
The letter was signed by Democrat Senator Chris Coons and Republican Chuck Grassley, as well as Republicans Kevin Kramer and Thom Tillis, and Democrats Michael Bennet and Catherine Cortez Masto. On social media, Tillis directly accused Trump’s advisers of failing to hold Putin accountable for the systematic abduction, rape, torture, and killing of Ukrainian civilians.
Broader context
In the House of Representatives, a Democratic initiative is gaining traction to impose wide-ranging sanctions on Russia and provide $1 billion in military aid to Ukraine. While it is unlikely to become law, it increases pressure on the administration.
US aid to Ukraine remains a contentious issue. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Bryan Mast recently said Congress is unlikely to approve a new large financial aid package for Ukraine, instead proposing that the primary burden shift to Europe.
