WASHINGTON – As Putin’s unjust war on
Ukraine enters its second month and amid concerns that American military aid
has been slow to be delivered, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Sen. Joni
Ernst (R-Iowa) and a bipartisan group of their colleagues to
request answers from President Biden’s National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on the
speed, specifics and supply of lethal aid provided to Ukraine. Specifically,
the bipartisan group of senators is pushing the administration for answers on
what it has provided thus far and what more America and our allies can provide
to Ukraine to win the war.
“In light of Ukraine’s continued
resistance against Vladimir Putin’s bloody invasion of Ukraine, we request you
commit to a military support plan to enable Ukraine to win this unlawful war of
aggression against their sovereign nation,” the lawmakers wrote.
Grassley and his colleagues ask Sullivan
to provide:
- A list of all
lethal and nonlethal aid provided to date and status of delivery or estimated
delivery;
- A list of all
equipment purchased or allocated for the Afghanistan Security Forces Fund that
remains within U.S. stocks or control, and an assessment of the feasibility to
provide such equipment;
- A complete list
of all Army Pre-positioned Stock (APS) or Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) stocks
in Europe by item and location;
- An analysis of
available equipment within allied and partner nations that could be procured or
transferred to Ukraine and subsequently backfilled with NATO equipment;
- A list of
equipment, production capacity and war reserve inventories the U.S. is capable
of delivering to backfill to NATO members who have provided capabilities to
Ukraine.
“The U.S. mission in Ukraine must go
beyond ensuring the country merely has the means to defend itself against
Russian aggression. The strategy must deliver Ukraine necessary weapons to
defend itself, counter the Russian forces' advance, and give the Ukrainian
people a chance to win this war. Success cannot be a Russian-occupied Ukraine
-- it must be a free, independent, and sovereign Ukraine. Authoritarianism
cannot prevail in this conflict. Defending freedom in Ukraine is defending
freedom everywhere. We anxiously await your response,” the lawmakers concluded.
Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine), John
Cornyn (R-Texas), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), John Hoeven
(R-N.D.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Angus King
(I-Maine), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), James Lankford
(R-Okla.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.),
Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.),
Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Mark Kelly
(D-Ariz.) and Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) also signed the letter.
Read the full letter by clicking
HERE.
Read more about Grassley’s efforts to
support Ukraine and punish Putin by clicking
HERE.
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