US aid to Ukraine does not lack oversight nor has corruption in Ukraine diverted it.
Claim: US aid to Ukraine lacks oversight and is being misused because of corruption in Ukraine.
Fact: US oversight is extensive, and Ukrainian government oversight and accountability is extensive and growing.
America’s NATO and Asian allies and other European states have committed more money to support Ukraine than the United States.
Claim: The United States is giving more support to Ukraine than Europe, and Europe hasn’t stepped up.
Fact: America’s European, Asian, and NATO allies have committed over $178 billion to support Ukraine, which is more than the US will have committed counting the aid package currently under consideration.
Ukraine is not a “forever war” for the United States because Americans are not fighting this war.
Claim: Ukraine is another ‘forever war’ for the United States.
Fact: This is not an American war. It’s another nation’s war against an American enemy.
Sending military aid to Ukraine increases America’s military readiness and reduces the risk that the United States will have to fight Russia itself.
Claim: Sending military aid to Ukraine degrades America’s military readiness.
Fact: Sending military aid to Ukraine has enabled the United States to modernize its own military to be better prepared to fight the next war.
The United States is not sending Ukraine a “blank check.”
Claim: The United States is/was sending Ukraine a “blank check.”
Fact: The United States has not given Ukraine a blank check. Congress has appropriated specific amounts to be used for specific purposes. Both Ukrainian and US officials monitor the aid to ensure that it is used for those purposes.
[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/28/world/europe/ukraine-corruption-defense.html; https://censor.net/en/news/3471737/lviv_arsenal_case_haccu_places_director_of_zbitnievs_company_under_house_arrest; https://www.bbc.com/ukrainian/articles/c51d7rz3p3zo
[2] https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/ukraine%E2%80%99s-long-term-path-success-jumpstarting-self-sufficient-defense-industrial-base
[3] https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/11/europe/zelensky-military-corrruption-scandal-intl/index.html; https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/03/europe/ukraine-zelensky-fires-defense-minister-reznikov-intl-hnk/index.html; https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/09/04/ukraine-oleksii-reznikov-defense-minister/; https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-suspends-senior-defence-official-amid-corruption-probe-2024-02-02/; https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-polytics/3787804-umerov-vvazae-korupciu-pid-cas-vijni-terorizmom.html
[4] https://www.defense.gov/News/Speeches/Speech/Article/3652662/opening-remarks-by-secretary-of-defense-lloyd-j-austin-iii-at-the-18th-ukraine/; https://media.defense.gov/2024/Jan/11/2003374323/-1/-1/1/DODIG-2024-043-EEMU_REDACTED%20SECURE.PDF
[5] https://www.csis.org/analysis/past-present-and-future-us-assistance-ukraine-deep-dive-data; https://www.fpri.org/article/2023/10/for-as-long-as-it-takes-putting-us-aid-to-ukraine-into-perspective/#:~:text=As%20of%20Zelensky%27s%20latest%20visit,went%20to%20various%20othe
[6] https://www.defense.gov/News/Speeches/Speech/Article/3652662/opening-remarks-by-secretary-of-defense-lloyd-j-austin-iii-at-the-18th-ukraine/; https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/3643869/pentagon-press-secretary-maj-gen-pat-ryder-holds-a-press-briefing/
[7] https://understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-february-6-2024
[8] https://commonslibrary dot parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9477/
[9] https://www.canada dot ca/en/department-national-defence/campaigns/canadian-military-support-to-ukraine.html
[10] https://www.regjeringen dot no/en/aktuelt/broad-political-agreement-on-multi-year-support-programme-for-ukraine/id2963374/; https://www.regjeringen dot no/en/topics/foreign-affairs/humanitarian-efforts/neighbour_support/id2908141/#:~:text=Around%2019.9%20billion%20kroner%20were,11%20billion%20as%20military%20support.&text=2.135%20billion%20for%20the%20Ukrainian,for%20energy%20security%20in%20Ukraine.
[11] https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/ukraine%E2%80%99s-long-term-path-success-jumpstarting-self-sufficient-defense-industrial-base
[12] https://balkaninsight dot com/2023/11/22/north-macedonia-completes-training-first-batch-of-ukrainian-soldiers/; https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-tanks-macedonia-thanks/31976738.html; https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/nmacedonia-donates-tanks-ukraine-it-modernises-own-military-2022-07-29/; https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/ukraine-conflict-north-macedonia-confirms-transfer-of-su-25s-to-ukraine-mi-24-attack-helicopters-may-follow
[13] https://balkaninsight dot com/2023/11/22/north-macedonia-completes-training-first-batch-of-ukrainian-soldiers/
[14] https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/ukraine%E2%80%99s-long-term-path-success-jumpstarting-self-sufficient-defense-industrial-base; https://www.janes.com/defence-news/defence/latest/south-korea-to-mass-produce-extended-range-projectiles-for-k9-howitzers#:~:text=DAPA%20ordered%202%2C000%20extended%2Drange,2025%2C%E2%80%9D%20the%20official%20said; https://www.thedefensepost dot com/2024/02/08/south-korea-artillery-round/; https://en.yna dot co.kr/view/AEN20240206002400315; https://www.reuters.com/world/south-korea-lend-500000-rounds-artillery-shells-us-report-2023-04-12/
[15] https://apnews.com/article/japan-ukraine-support-humanitarian-aid-g7-ac26f0224efbdcdfd75fbfdfbf6c9da8
[16] https://asia dot nikkei.com/Politics/Ukraine-war/Japan-foreign-minister-visits-Ukraine-pledges-37m-aid-via-NATO
[17] https://www.minister.defence dot gov.au/media-releases/2023-10-25/australian-capabilities-continue-supporting-ukraine
[18] https://www.beehive dot govt.nz/release/new-zealand-provide-further-support-ukraine
[19] https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/high-price-losing-ukraine
[20] https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/high-price-losing-ukraine
[21] https://understandingwar.org/backgrounder/ukraine%E2%80%99s-long-term-path-success-jumpstarting-self-sufficient-defense-industrial-base
[22] https://understandingwar.org/backgrounder/ukraine%E2%80%99s-long-term-path-success-jumpstarting-self-sufficient-defense-industrial-base
[23] https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/11/29/ukraine-military-aid-american-economy-boost/; https://www.aei.org/us-defense-industrial-base-and-the-war-in-ukraine/; https://www.csis.org/analysis/aid-ukraine-administration-requests-more-money-and-faces-political-battles-ahead; https://breakingdefense.com/2023/10/most-aid-to-ukraine-is-spent-in-the-us-a-total-shutdown-would-be-irresponsible/
[24] https://www.defensenews.com/land/2023/05/31/equipment-for-ukraine-drawn-from-kuwait-wasnt-combat-ready-ig-says/ ; https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/19/world/europe/ukraine-weapons-howitzers-contracts.html
[25] https://understandingwar.org/backgrounder/ukraine%E2%80%99s-long-term-path-success-jumpstarting-self-sufficient-defense-industrial-base
Fact Sheet: US Assistance to Ukraine – Institute for the Study of War
