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Pentagon Releases $400 Million in Ukraine, Defense Secretary Conforms
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Pentagon has released $400 million in funding for Ukraine that had already been authorized by Congress, following criticism from senior Republican lawmakers over delays in disbursing the money, as reported by Bloomberg on April 29.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the move during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Wednesday, stating that the financing had been “allocated for European capacity building, and as of yesterday it was released,” without providing further details.
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The delay had drawn public criticism from Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who chairs the Senate’s defense appropriations panel. In an opinion piece published in The Washington Post, McConnell wrote, “The Ukraine aid we passed months ago is now collecting dust at the Pentagon.”
“When Senate appropriators have sought an explanation from the department’s policy shop, led by Undersecretary Elbridge Colby, they’ve been stonewalled,” he added.
According to Bloomberg, the release comes amid broader shifts in US policy toward Ukraine. Support has slowed as President Donald Trump and Hegseth have called on European allies to take on a larger share of the financial burden for Ukraine’s defense against Russia.
Acting Pentagon Comptroller Jules Hurst, also appearing before the House committee, said the funding has not yet been tied to specific contracts and that its use will depend on the types of defense equipment Ukraine chooses to acquire, Bloomberg reported.
The release of the funding comes against the backdrop of ongoing contacts between Washington and Moscow.
On April 29, Russian leader Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump held a phone call that lasted more than 90 minutes and focused on the war in Ukraine and broader international issues.
During the conversation, Putin proposed a temporary “truce for the period of Victory Day,” marked on May 9 in Russia. Russian officials said Trump expressed support for the idea.
According to the Kremlin’s account, Trump said that a deal to end the war “is already close.” Putin, in turn, repeated claims that Ukraine was using “terrorist methods” and insisted that the “goals of the ‘special military operation ’ will be achieved,” while signaling that Russia would prefer to reach those objectives through negotiations.
At the same time, the United States has signaled it is prepared to provide up to $100 million for the repair of the protective structure over the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, which was damaged in a Russian drone strike.
The State Department said the US share would cover about 20% of the estimated $500 million needed for the repairs, emphasizing Washington’s intention to coordinate closely with Congress and international partners.
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