Source: United States Senator for Oklahoma James Inhofe
U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement today in response to the Biden Administration’s decision to withhold additional aid to Ukraine:
“Recently, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan admitted that the Administration blocked emergency military aid to Ukraine earlier this year as a response to Russian deployment of thousands of troops and military equipment in and around Ukraine. He further explained the Administration would only consider delivering this aid ‘in the event that there was a further Russian incursion into Ukraine,’ which is a fancy way of saying ‘we won’t take further action until Russia invades further into Ukrainian territory’ — at which point it will be too late.
“I am appalled but not surprised, given Biden’s failure to impose all sanctions to stop NordStream 2, his low-ball request for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative — $25 million lower than Congress approved last year despite the growing threats, his summit that gave Putin the world stage to undermine U.S. interests, and his budget request for our own military forces that undermines deterrence of Russia and support of our NATO allies and partners in Europe.
“I call on President Biden to immediately release this emergency security assistance to Ukraine. If there is one thing we know about Putin, it’s that we can’t afford to wait.”
Background: While the Biden Administration has released the congressionally required $150 million security assistance to Ukraine as mandated in the National Defense Authorization Act, multiple outlets have reported they are still holding up additional assistance, including lethal aid, because they don’t perceive the situation as necessary, despite Russia’s growing aggression in the region.