Biden's National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan, faced tough questions on CNN Sunday after the Pentagon revealed a $3 billion accounting error in valuing weapons sent to Ukraine.
CNN anchor Jake Tapper expressed concern over the error, stating that it provides ammunition to critics of U.S. aid to Ukraine who argue that there is not enough oversight. Sullivan, however, argued that the error was a fortunate mistake that would allow for even more funding for weapons to Ukraine.
According to AP News, the Pentagon admitted on Thursday that it had overestimated the value of weapons sent to Ukraine by $3 billion. The revelation came amidst criticism from GOP members of Congress that American funding for the war in Ukraine threatens further escalation of the conflict.
Deputy Defense Press Secretary Sabrina Singh told Fox News Digital that the Department discovered inconsistencies in equipment valuation for Ukraine during its oversight process of presidential drawdown packages. Singh clarified that the over-valuation has not constrained the government's support to Ukraine nor impacted its ability to flow capabilities to the battlefield.
Sullivan explained to Tapper that the $3 billion was not a waste of money, but rather a tally of how much military equipment the U.S. has given to Ukraine. He clarified that the Pentagon was counting the replacement cost for the equipment provided, rather than just the actual cost of the equipment.
Once the adjustment was made, it turned out that the U.S. had an additional $3 billion that it could spend to provide even more weapons to Ukraine. Sullivan assured Tapper that not one penny of U.S. dollars would have gone missing or been misallocated, and that the American taxpayer could be confident that the money was being spent effectively and appropriately.
Sullivan conceded that it would have been better if the Pentagon had gotten the accounting right upfront, but he emphasized that Ukraine would get what it needs. The U.S. government has provided nearly $40 billion in military aid since Russia invaded in late February 2022.
However, nineteen House and Senate Republican lawmakers sent a letter to President Biden on Thursday, calling for the administration to stop sending U.S. aid to Ukraine, arguing that tension with Russia has only escalated with every additional aid package that the United States sends.
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