The Pentagon has released $400 million in aid to Ukraine: what Hegset said
30 April 09:17
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hagset stated that the Pentagon has released $400 million in funding to support Ukraine. These funds had previously been approved by Congress but remained blocked for several months, drawing criticism from U.S. lawmakers. This was reported by The Hill and Bloomberg, according to "Komersant Ukrainian"
Hegset made this statement during a hearing before the U.S. House Armed Services Committee.
According to him, the funding, which was intended to strengthen European defense capabilities, “was released as of yesterday.”
What exactly did the Pentagon unblock?
This refers to $400 million approved by the U.S. Congress to support Ukraine and strengthen defense capabilities in Europe. These funds can be used for defense contracts and procurements related to aid for Ukraine.
The money was allocated by Congress to assist Ukraine in the security sector back in 2025. The issue of the delay arose during discussions of the 2027 budget. Members of Congress wanted to know why the aid had not reached Ukraine on time.
Previously, the funds had remained unused at the Pentagon for a long time, despite the fact that Congress had already authorized their allocation.
Acting Pentagon Comptroller Jules Hurst clarified that the allocated funds had not yet been contracted. Their use will depend on what specific weapons Ukraine decides to purchase.
What Pete Hagseth said
During congressional hearings, Democratic Representative Sarah Elfreth asked Hegset about the delay in funding for Ukraine.
In response, the Pentagon chief stated that the funds had already been released.
“Funding was allocated to build up European capabilities, and as of yesterday, it had been released,” Hegset said.
This statement came after sharp criticism of the Pentagon over the delay in funding.
Why was the aid delayed?
The day before, Republican Senator Mitch McConnell criticized the Pentagon for the fact that $400 million approved by Congress for Ukraine had remained unused for months.
In his column, he accused senior Pentagon officials of dragging their feet and stated that such a policy harms not only Ukraine but also the U.S. itself. According to him, Ukraine’s experience in countering drones and electronic warfare is of great importance to the U.S. military.
McConnell also stated that the delay in aid limits the U.S.’s ability to learn from Ukraine’s experience in modern warfare.
