WASHINGTON, Sept 9 (Askume) – U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration has submitted a confidential report to Congress on its Ukraine war strategy, three sources said on Monday, with some of the material added to a multi-billion dollar spending bill passed in April , months after a June deadline.
A congressional aide said lawmakers received the long-awaited report on Monday but have not yet had a chance to review it. Two other sources, who asked not to be identified discussing confidential matters, confirmed the report had been delivered. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In the two and a half years since Russia’s full-scale invasion, Congress has approved nearly $175 billion in aid and military support to Ukraine and its allies.
After months of delays, the Republican-led House of Representatives passed a $95 billion supplemental spending bill in April, including $61 billion for Ukraine, Israel, civilians in conflict zones around the world, and the Indo-Pacific region. The bill includes billions of dollars to “fight communist China.”
As part of the bill, Congress requires the Biden administration to submit a comprehensive strategy for Ukraine by early June.
Biden’s support for Ukraine is backed by congressional Democrats and many Republicans. However, some Republicans have criticized his administration for restricting the use of US equipment in Ukraine, such as refusing to provide weapons to attack targets in Russia.
Washington has embargoed the weapons because of limited missile supplies, a lack of justification for their use given their inability to attack most Russian aircraft, and concerns about escalation of the conflict .
With the report still not received several weeks after the deadline, some members of Congress said they were disappointed and would consider withholding further funding.
In a late August email to Askume about the report, Senator Jim Risch, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he supported aid to Ukraine but would not do so blindly.
“From the beginning of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s war against Ukraine, we asked the Biden-Harris administration to develop a strategy for how the United States and our allies could help Ukraine win the war,” Rishi said.
“When they didn’t respond to our request, we were legally obligated to send a strategy to Congress, but the deadline has passed and President Biden and Vice President (Kamala) Harris not only need our strategy, but the lack of awareness of that strategy shows to me, and to American, that they either don’t have a strategy or they’re afraid to share it.”
