Pentagon To Brief Congress Before March 15 On New Lethal Assistance To Ukraine - Statement

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 04th December, 2020) The fiscal year 2021 defense spending bill directs top Defense Department officials to brief Congress by mid-March on new lethal military assistance to Ukraine, negotiators from both chambers of the Congress said in joint statement.

"The conferees direct the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy... to brief the congressional defense committees not later than March 15, 2021, on the Department of Defense's planning and capacity to provide lethal assistance to the Government of Ukraine given the current structure of this authority," the statement said on Thursday.

Lawmakers explained that they demand the briefing to include description of defense articles and services to be provided to Ukraine.

The defense budget allocates $250 million for overall military assistance to Ukraine, including $75 million in lethal weaponry.

However, it provides for the possibility "to modify the categories of appropriate assistance, broaden the types of reforms intended to decrease corruption, increase accountability, and maintain sustainability of combat capability enabled by such assistance," the statement said.