The Ohio Republican JD Vance is getting ready to meet behind closed doors with his fellow Republicans on Wednesday to discuss Ukraine, and he has drafted a document to share.
He warns Congress in the document that the latest DOD report shows accountability gaps regarding U.S. assistance to Ukraine, among other things. The latest in a series of reports published by government watchdogs in January 2024 highlights the shortcomings in monitoring U.S. assistance to Ukraine. The failure of the Biden administration and the Ukrainian Armed Forces to supervise weaponry provided by the United States adequately is brought to light on this issue.
Weapons classified as enhanced end-use monitoring (EEUM) include sensitive technology, are highly susceptible to diversion or abuse, or might have severe repercussions in the event of such a situation, according to the Inspector General’s assessment.
According to the study, a substantial amount of the weapons shipped to Ukraine by the EEUM were deemed “delinquent,” with a value of $1.005 billion out of a total of $1.699 billion. It would indicate that they were not under DOD-mandated surveillance.
According to the study, it was difficult to tell if vital defense goods were taken or misused since neither the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) nor American officials adequately monitored the situation. According to the study, U.S. workers were not provided with expense records organized by serial numbers.
Vance concluded the email by saying the EEUM protocols were not designed for use in conflict zones like Ukraine. Consequently, they could not adequately monitor the weaponry supplied by the United States.
In common with a handful of other Republicans, Vance disapproves of sending more money to Ukraine without enough control. The prospect of territory concessions from Ukraine to Russia should be recognized, he has said before, by the United States. Additionally, Vance stressed that American leadership should ensure that financial aid to Kyiv’s soldiers is not handed out hastily.
About Wednesday afternoon, members of Congress will meet in secret for a Senate GOP conference to deliberate about increasing funding for Ukraine. Funds that the White House can send without Congress’s consent have already been used up. It is essential to strengthen border security to provide Ukraine with more aid.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky have always agreed on merging border security with aid to Ukraine. Republicans have voiced conflicting perspectives and proposed separate votes, but McConnell and Schumer have remained together.
The timeliness of a resolution to the border dispute is unknown at this point in the ongoing discussions. But when it gets to the Republican-controlled House for a vote, it’s likely to face severe obstacles in the Senate.