WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th September, 2019) The delay of security assistance to Ukraine did not affect the national security of the United States, US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper told reporters on Friday.
"And at no time or at any time has any delay in this money, this funding, affected US national security," Esper said.
US President Donald Trump had ordered a temporary allocation block of about $400 million for security assistance to Ukraine, the Washington Post reported citing government officials.
The corresponding order by Trump was transmitted to the State and Defense Departments in mid-July, about a week before the US president engaged in a telephone conversation with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The funds were unfrozen as a result of the approaching end of fiscal year 2019 on September 30, the report said.
The Trump administration was afraid that not spending the money could be perceived as a violation of law, prompting the US president Trump to give permission to unblock the funds, according to the report.
