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White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki slammed a report Friday that the Biden administration had halted a $100 million military aid package for Ukraine as “nonsense.”
Politico, citing “four people familiar with the internal deliberations,” reported earlier in the day that officials at the National Security Council had halted deliveries of aid — which included lethal munitions such as anti-tank weapons and small arms — after the Kremlin announced the withdrawal of some Russian forces from positions Along the Ukrainian border in late April.
“The idea that we have stopped security assistance to Ukraine is nonsense,” Psaki said in a statement. Just last week — in the run-up to the US-Russia summit — we delivered a $150 million security aid package, including lethal assistance. We have now provided the full amount that Congress has appropriated through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative.”
Psaki also noted Biden’s June 14 statement that the United States would “do everything in its power to put Ukraine in a position to continue to resist Russian physical aggression.”
“We have also prepared emergency funds in the event of a further Russian incursion into Ukraine,” Psaki concluded. As President Biden said, [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin directly, we will stand firmly in support of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.”
The $150 million package reportedly provides training, equipment, advisory efforts, and improves interoperability with NATO, according to a statement from the Department of Defense on June 11.
The report alarmed Republicans such as Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla), who tweeted: “Do you remember when freezing military aid to Ukraine was an impeachable crime?” , in reference to Democrats’ claim that the Trump administration required the release of $400 million. The value of military aid when the Kiev government opened an investigation into Joe Biden, his son Hunter, and their business dealings in Ukraine.
House Republican Conference Speaker Elise Stefanik (R-NY) accused Biden on Twitter of “shamefully turning his back on our Ukrainian allies.”
Friday was the second time this week that the White House denied reports of major foreign policy actions related to Ukraine. On Monday, the president denied Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s claim that NATO leaders had “confirmed” that the eastern European country would be allowed to join the transatlantic alliance. Russia has long said that it considers such a step a red line.
“It depends on whether they meet the criteria,” Biden said. The truth is that they still have to remove corruption. The truth is that they have to meet other criteria to enter into the business plan. And so, you know, the school is out of that question. It remains to be seen.”
Last month, the White House went so far as to delete part of the text of statements by Deputy Press Secretary Karen Jean-Pierre that expressed support for Ukraine to join NATO. The White House said at the time that Jean-Pierre had “misspoken” and that her words did not reflect official policy.
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