A Pentagon audit released Thursday revealed the U.S. has failed to track over $1 billion in military weapons and equipment given to Ukraine.
The big picture: The Defense Department’s office of the inspector general, the Pentagon watchdog, reported that 59 percent of the $1.7 billion in equipment given to Ukraine remained “delinquent.”
- The lack of monitoring means that American officials cannot track the weapons and military equipment intended to be used against Russian forces.
- Despite assurances from the Biden administration that rigorous monitoring would prevent misuse of military aid, the audit undermines these claims.
- The audit does not provide evidence of stolen weapons but highlights significant shortcomings in tracking and monitoring procedures.
Driving the news: The findings come at a time when President Joe Biden is seeking congressional approval for additional military and financial aid to Ukraine.
- House Republican opposition has hindered Biden’s request for $10.5 billion in aid for Ukraine and other national security objectives.
- The shortcomings in monitoring were attributed to factors such as limited staffing, delayed implementation of monitoring procedures, and internal inventory control issues.
