US officials say no evidence of Ukraine misusing American military aid
- Members of Congress have questioned how closely the US is tracking its aid to Ukraine to ensure it is not lost to corruption or diverted
- Pentagon official says a ‘significant number’ of people in the region oversee the Ukraine supply and training mission
Pentagon officials said there is no evidence of Ukraine misusing the tens of billions in aid provided since Russia invaded, as Republican lawmakers in Washington move to step up oversight.
Military aid for Kyiv has topped US$50 billion since the invasion, more than half of it provided by the United States – sparking criticism from some politicians, including 11 Republicans who have co-sponsored a resolution saying all assistance for Ukraine must end.
Members of the House Armed Services Committee questioned Undersecretary of Defence for Policy Colin Kahl and two other officials in a hearing held after Republicans took control of the lower chamber of Congress earlier this year.
“There’s no evidence that the Ukrainians are diverting it to the black market,” Kahl said of aid to Kyiv.
“That’s not surprising given the intensity of the fight and the fact that they are clearly using what we are providing them and what our allies and partners are providing them to maximum effect.
“If some of these systems have been diverted, it’s by Russians who have captured things on the battlefield.”