Portman seeks release of U.S. funds to support Ukraine’s military

U.S. Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) and a bipartisan contingent of senators seek the administration’s immediate obligation of $250 million in U.S. military security assistance for Ukraine, a fledgling democracy that since 2014 has been under increased military, political and economic pressure from Russia.

“As members of the bipartisan Ukraine Caucus we write to express our deep concerns of reports that the administration is considering not obligating the Ukraine Security Initiative funds for 2019,” wrote Sen. Portman, co-chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, and his colleagues in a Sept. 3 letter sent to Mick Mulvaney, director of the Office of Management and Budget.

“This body has long advocated for increasing the military capacity and capabilities of Ukraine,” wrote the lawmakers, who also included U.S. Sens. Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH).

Sen. Portman and his colleagues pointed out that the funds designated for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative are critical to the long-term viability of the country’s military and already have helped the country “develop the independent military capabilities and skills necessary to fend off the Kremlin’s continued onslaughts within its territory.”

“In fact, Ukraine continues to fight daily on its eastern border against Russia-backed separatists in the provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk, and over 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers and civilians have lost their lives in this war,” according to their letter.

Sen. Portman and the other senators also noted that they’ve worked in a bipartisan manner to provide funding for Ukraine “that is effective, transparent and fiscally responsible.”

Additionally, they wrote, the funding “has the continued backing and approval of the U.S. Congress, which appropriated these funds.”

Sen. Portman and his colleagues urged that Mulvaney direct the U.S. Department of Defense to immediately obligate the funds.