Marshall, Moran Demand White House Provide Answers on Speed and Specifics of Lethal Aid to Ukraine

Following their recent trip to Poland and Germany, the senators write to NSA Sullivan: “The U.S. 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… win this war.” 

(Washington, D.C., March 29, 2022) – Over one month since the beginning of Putin’s unjust war on Ukraine, and following a bipartisan Senate delegation visit to Poland and Germany, U.S. Senators Roger Marshall, M.D. and Jerry Moran have joined Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) in leading a bipartisan group of senators requesting answers from President Biden’s national security advisor (NSA), Jake Sullivan, on the speed, specifics, and supply of lethal aid provided to Ukraine. In the letter, the Senators said in part,

“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… 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.”

Senator Marshall was on FOX Business this morning to discuss the letter to Jake Sullivan and the issue of the Biden Administration slow walking getting weapons to Ukraine. You may click HERE or on the image below to watch Senator Marshall’s interview with Maria Bartiromo.

Senators Marshall, Moran, Ernst and Gillibrand are joined on the letter by U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Susan Collins (R-ME), John Cornyn (R-TX), 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), James Lankford (R-OK), 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-Z).

While in Poland, Senators Marshall and Moran heard directly from members of the Ukrainian civil society who passionately stated the lethal aid is flowing too slowly and that the sovereign country needs more specific lethal aid to win the war. Following the bipartisan trip, the Senators are pushing the administration for answers on what they have provided thus far and what more America and our allies can provide to Ukraine to win the war.  

In their letter to NSA 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 U.S. 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 U.S. 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.”

To read the full letter, click here.

For more on the bipartisan CODEL to Poland and Germany, click here.

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