The report was “late” for several months, as the US Congress approved the allocation of $61 billion in aid to Ukraine in April, but with the condition that a report on the funds already spent and those about to be spent would be ready by June 2024. Reuters reports this.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, Congress has approved nearly $175 billion in aid to Ukraine and its allies. In April, after months of delays, the Republican-led House of Representatives passed an additional $95 billion spending bill.
The package included $61 billion to help Ukraine, as well as billions of dollars for Israel, supporting civilians in conflict zones around the world and countering China in the Indo-Pacific region.
One congressional aide said the long-awaited document was delivered to lawmakers on Monday but they had not yet had time to study it. Two other sources, who requested anonymity, also confirmed the report had been delivered. The White House has not yet commented on the matter.
The bill required the Biden administration to submit a detailed strategy on Ukraine by early June. Biden’s support for Ukraine resonates with Democrats and many Republicans in Congress. However, some Republicans have criticized the administration for restricting Ukraine’s use of U.S. weapons, including refusing to supply weapons capable of hitting targets inside Russia.
Washington has limited its use of such weapons because of limited supplies of missiles, a lack of need to use them given that Russian aircraft are largely out of range and concerns about a possible escalation of the conflict.
When the deadline passed without a report being submitted, some members of Congress expressed discontent and hinted at blocking further funding. Senator Jim Risch, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement to Reuters in late August that he supports aid to Ukraine but has no intention of doing so without a clear strategy.
“From the earliest days of Putin’s war on Ukraine, we have urged the Biden-Harris administration to develop a strategy for how the United States and its allies can help Ukraine win,” Risch said.
Once the response period expired, Congress legally required them to provide a strategy, but there was no response. President Biden and Vice President Harris must provide a strategy not only to us, but to the American people.
“Failure to do so may indicate that there is no strategy or that they are afraid to make it public,” Risch said.
Cursor previously reported that Biden fears the war in the Gaza Strip may not end before he steps down as US president.
