Top Pentagon official warns Ukraine about paying for arms

Washington: The US Assistant Secretary of Defence for International Security Affairs, Celeste Wallander, told Congress on Tuesday that Ukraine should eventually step in to cover the costs of some weapons it receives from its Western backers.

Speaking at a House Appropriations Committee hearing, Rep. Michael Garcia (R-Calif.) said that it would be important for the US to initiate foreign military sales to Ukraine, rather than providing Kyiv with arms for free, claiming that it “would go a long way with American taxpayers.”

Wallander responded that while the Ukrainians had actually bought some weapons themselves, they “haven’t done any big figure procurement from American companies.”

“They don’t have that scale of capability in their budget right now… but it’s a very good point that we also need to transition them to start their own defence spending planning as well as everything else we will do to support them,” she was quoted by Russia Today as saying.

Earlier this month, President Joe Biden instructed the U.S. State Department to release up to an additional $350 million worth of weapons from U.S. stocks to Ukraine on Friday as it struggles to repulse a Russian invasion.

In a memorandum to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Biden directed that $350 million allocated through the Foreign Assistance Act be designated for Ukraine’s defence.

Ukraine has been asking for Javelin anti-tank weapons and Stinger missiles to shoot down aircraft.

Late last year, Republicans introduced a resolution spearheaded by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, calling for an audit of US aid to Ukraine. However, it was narrowly defeated in the House of Representatives in early December.

With input from agencies.

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