Lankford, Colleagues Demand Answers From Biden on Speed, Specifics and Supply Provided to Ukraine

WASHINGTON, DC – Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) are leading a group of Senators to request answers from President Biden’s National Security Advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan on the speed, specifics, and supply of lethal aid provided to Ukraine.

In their letter to Sullivan, the Senators write: “We request a timely response to these questions detailing your provisions, risk assessments, and strategy to enable Ukraine to defeat Vladimir Putin and return to sovereignty and freedom. 

1. A list of all lethal and nonlethal aid provided to date and status of delivery or estimated delivery to Ukraine.
2. A list of all equipment purchased or allocated for the Afghanistan Security Forces Fund that remains within US stocks or control, and an assessment of the feasibility to provide such equipment to Ukraine.
3. A complete list of all Army Pre-positioned Stock (APS) or Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) stocks in Europe by item and location.
4. An analysis of available equipment within allied and partner nations that could be procured or transferred to Ukraine and subsequently backfilled with NATO equipment.
5. A list of equipment, production capacity, and war reserve inventories the United States is capable of delivering to backfill to NATO members who have provided capabilities to Ukraine.”

The Senators conclude by writing “The US mission in Ukraine must go beyond ensuring the country merely has the means to defend itself against Russian aggression. The strategy must deliver Ukraine necessary weapons to defend itself, counter the Russian forces’ advance, and give the Ukrainian people a chance to win this war. Success cannot be a Russian-occupied Ukraine – it must be a free, independent, and sovereign Ukraine. Authoritarianism cannot prevail in this conflict. Defending freedom in Ukraine is defending freedom everywhere. We anxiously await your response.”

Lankford, Ernst and Gillibrand are joined by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Susan Collins (R-ME), John Cornyn (R-TX), Jerry Moran (R-KS), John Boozman (R-AR), John Hoeven (R-ND), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Angus King (I-ME), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Steve Daines (R-MT), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Ben Sasse (R-NE), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Rick Scott (R-FL), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), and Roger Marshall (R-KS).

The full text of the letter is HERE and below:

Dear National Security Advisor Sullivan,

In light of Ukraine’s continued resistance against Vladimir Putin’s bloody invasion of Ukraine, we request you commit to a military support plan to enable Ukraine to win this unlawful war of aggression against their sovereign nation.

Contrary to conventional wisdom, Russia did not overwhelm the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the first weeks of the conflict. Today, over one month into the conflict, Ukraine’s government remains intact. Their forces, bolstered by lethal aid provided by the Presidential Drawdown Authority and additional re-supply authorized by Congress, are repelling Russia’s offensive strikes. Most crucially, the Ukrainian people are ready to fight to the last person. Many of us have heard from Ukrainian officials, military members, veterans, and civil society leaders, who have all urged the United States to deliver more lethal aid more rapidly. The authorities and funding are available to the Commander-in-Chief to provide over 3 billion dollars of lethal and nonlethal military aid to Ukraine and transfer excess, pre-positioned defense articles to Ukraine and other allies and partners in Europe for the remainder of the fiscal year.

America’s commitments to Ukraine and to our NATO allies demand we expedite the delivery of weapons and capabilities to our allies and partners; Ukraine can win this fight if we help them win this fight. Above all else, our commitment to our allies and partners keeps Americans prosperous and keeps our families safe.

Members of the US Senate formally requested the following information from both the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the National Security Council. We request a timely response to these questions detailing your provisions, risk assessments, and strategy to enable Ukraine to defeat Vladimir Putin and return to sovereignty and freedom.

1. A list of all lethal and nonlethal aid provided to date and status of delivery or estimated delivery to Ukraine.
2. A list of all equipment purchased or allocated for the Afghanistan Security Forces Fund that remains within US stocks or control, and an assessment of the feasibility to provide such equipment to Ukraine.
3. A complete list of all Army Pre-positioned Stock (APS) or Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) stocks in Europe by item and location.
4. An analysis of available equipment within allied and partner nations that could be procured or transferred to Ukraine and subsequently backfilled with NATO equipment.
5. A list of equipment, production capacity, and war reserve inventories the United States is capable of delivering to backfill to NATO members who have provided capabilities to Ukraine.

The US mission in Ukraine must go beyond ensuring the country merely has the means to defend itself against Russian aggression. The strategy must deliver Ukraine necessary weapons to defend itself, counter the Russian forces’ advance, and give the Ukrainian people a chance to win this war. Success cannot be a Russian-occupied Ukraine – it must be a free, independent, and sovereign Ukraine. Authoritarianism cannot prevail in this conflict. Defending freedom in Ukraine is defending freedom everywhere. We anxiously await your response.

Sincerely,