US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said that US$400 million in aid to Ukraine, approved by Congress back in December 2025, was released on 28 April.
Hegseth's remarks followed criticism from senior Republican Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who chairs the Senate committee overseeing defence spending, in an opinion piece this week over delays by the US Department of Defense in releasing the funds.
"The Ukraine aid we passed months ago is now collecting dust at the Pentagon. When Senate appropriators have sought an explanation from the department's policy shop, led by Undersecretary Elbridge Colby, they've been stonewalled."
McConnell also mentioned that Colby had been behind last year's decision to pause weapons deliveries to Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Hegseth told a House of Representatives committee on 29 April that the funds had been released the previous day.
"The department recognises that US$400 million was allocated for European capacity building, and as of yesterday [28 April], it has been released," he said, without providing further details.
