Ukraine Received $43 Million in Military Aid From US in Fall 2019

29 November 2019 16:40

In response to Hromadske’s request, the General Staff have clarified what kind ofmilitary aid Ukraine has received from the United States in 2019.

In response to Hromadske’s request, the General Staff have clarified what kind of military aid Ukraine has received from the United States in 2019.

The letter from the Head of the General Directorate of Military Cooperation and Peacekeeping Operations (part of the General Staff of Ukrainian Armed Forces), Leonid Holopatiuk explains that “The United States has not given Ukraine any aid in money, only in physical assets and services. From September to November 2019, [Kyiv received] communications equipment, cybersecurity tools, night vision devices, medical equipment, spare parts for technical equipment. The total amount of aid in cash equivalent is $43 million, as was set out in prior arrangements.”

The aid received was distributed between the Armed Forces units in accordance with the distribution plans to provide defense forces with up-to-date weapons, military and special equipment, to ensure effective exchange of information, and to achieve interoperability with U.S. Armed Forces and other partner forces.

The list of military assistance planned for 2020 will be known only after its approval by the U.S. Congress, Holopatiuk declares.

The total amount of U.S. military assistance due to Ukraine was $391 million, which was to be provided to Ukraine in accordance with the ruling of the U.S. Congress. On July 25 — the day of the telephone conversation between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump — a decision was made to officially delay it, following instructions from the U.S. president. It became public in late August.

Congress is currently investigating the impeachment of U.S. president. Democrats say Trump delayed military aid to Ukraine to pressure him into launching an investigation into his political opponent in the 2020 presidential election, Joe Biden.

Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, served on the board of directors of the Ukrainian gas company Burisma, founded by Viktor Yanukovych's Minister of Ecology, Mykola Zlochevsky from 2014 to 2019. Companies both in Ukraine and abroad are being investigated for money laundering and embezzlement of state funds.

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