Pentagon Chief Pressed Over Missing Ukraine Aid Plan

Ukraine was once again raised during a Senate hearing on the Pentagon’s FY2027 budget request, as Senator Jeanne Shaheen pressed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and senior Pentagon officials over a missing spend plan for $400 million in congressionally approved funding intended for Ukraine. Shaheen also questioned why Washington is easing pressure on Moscow while Russia aids Iran and continues its war against Ukraine. Make us preferred on Google Flip Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied US Senator Jeanne Shaheen (C) addresses a press conference flanked by US Senators Chris Murphy (L) and Thom Tillis at the US Embassy in Budapest, Hungary on February 18, 2024. (Photo by ATTILA KISBENEDEK / AFP) Content Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Flip Make us preferred on Google Ukraine was once again brought up during a Senate hearing on the Pentagon’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget request on Tuesday, as US Senator Jeanne Shaheen pressed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and senior defense officials over delayed funding for Kyiv and the Trump administration’s loosening of sanctions on Russia amid the war with Iran. Shaheen, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, demanded an explanation as to what happened to $400 million in congressionally approved funds earmarked for Ukraine. Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official . Shaheen said the money had been clearly intended for Ukraine, even though Congress had used broader language after Republicans warned they would not vote for the bill if it included the word “Ukraine.” “Because Republicans said they wouldn’t vote for the bill if it had the word Ukraine in it, we changed it to Europe,” Shaheen said. “But it was clearly marked for Ukraine.” Pentagon Comptroller Jules Hurst told Shaheen that officials expect to finalize the spending plan this week and share it with Congress once it is available. “Funding still has not gone out the door,” Shaheen said, noting that Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine had told lawmakers he coordinated on the Ukraine spending plan on April 13. “That’s been almost a month, and we still haven’t gotten anything. So, when are we going to see the spend plan for Ukraine?” she asked. Other Topics of Interest Cost of US Conflict With Iran Nears $29 Billion, Pentagon Says The Pentagon said the cost of the US conflict with Iran has risen to nearly $29 billion, with lawmakers raising concerns about transparency and long-term strategy during a budget hearing. The rising costs come as the fragile ceasefire with Iran shows signs of strain and military stockpiles face increasing pressure. Earlier in April, Hegseth faced bipartisan criticism in Congress after the Pentagon’s proposed FY2027 budget excluded new funding for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, effectively zeroing out future military aid allocations for Kyiv under the program. Lawmakers also accused the Pentagon of delaying already approved Ukraine aid. Senator Shaheen also questioned why Washington was easing pressure on Moscow while Russia continues its war against Ukraine and is providing intelligence support to Iran that could be used to target US service members. “Russia is making $4 billion from oil sanctions relief because we’ve loosened those sanctions,” Shaheen said, adding that an Iranian Shahed drone costs about $35,000. “That’s enough money for hundreds of thousands of drones supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine and billions for Iran to reconstitute its industrial base,” she said. Senator Shaheen asked Secretary Hegseth whether the US should restore sanctions on Russian oil vessels to prevent Moscow from continuing to fund Tehran during the conflict. “If one of the goals outlined by the President in this war is to destroy Iran’s defense industrial base, don’t you think we ought to be putting more pressure on Russia and reinstating sanctions on those Russian oil ships so they are not continuing to fund Iran in this war?” concluded Shaheen, the ranking member of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization since 1995. Its international market reach of 97% outside of Ukraine makes it truly Ukraine’s Global – and most reliable – Voice.