Ukraine should start buying weapons on its own, Celeste Wallander, assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs, said at a hearing in the House Appropriations Committee.
Thus, she commented on the statement of Republican Congressman Mike Garcia, who noted that it is important for American taxpayers that Ukraine start buying weapons itself, and not receive them for free. Wallander responded that “there is currently no such scope in the Ukrainian budget”, but “they should acquire some [военные] means themselves.” She also stressed that “it’s a very good idea that we need to get them to start planning their own defense spending and everything else that we will do to support them,” RBC reports.
In addition, the hearings discussed the accountability of spending US budgetary funds and arms supplies to Kyiv. Pentagon Inspector General Robert Storch noted that “the accountability of supplied weapons is of paramount importance, especially the most sensitive weapons, to ensure that they are used for their intended purpose and are not diverted to unseemly purposes.”
Wallander, in turn, said that the United States did not find any evidence that the weapons they provided to Ukraine fell into the wrong hands. “We see that Ukraine’s forward units are effectively using security assistance on the battlefield every day,” CNN quoted her as saying. She added that the US has adapted its accountability practices to combat conditions to avoid the risk of weapons leakage.
Source: Rosbalt
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