Senior US lawmaker Mitch McConnell has sharply criticised the Department of Defense for failing to deliver military aid to Ukraine, despite funds being approved by Congress with strong bipartisan backing.
In an opinion piece published by The Washington Post, McConnell rejected claims that American voters oppose continued support for Kyiv. He argued that public opinion has consistently favoured assisting Ukraine in its defence against Russia.
The senator pointed out that Congress had already acted on this support, with Republican-led armed services committees authorising $400 million annually for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative over a two-year period. Lawmakers later approved full funding for the programme in the 2026 fiscal budget.
Despite this, McConnell said the allocated funds remain unused within the Department of Defense. He claimed that efforts by Senate appropriators to obtain explanations for the delay have been met with limited transparency.
He specifically criticised the Pentagon’s policy division, overseen by Undersecretary Elbridge Colby, accusing it of failing to provide clear answers. According to McConnell, lawmakers across committees are increasingly frustrated by what they view as a lack of communication from defence officials.
Framing the issue as a matter of national security, McConnell stressed that military assistance to Ukraine should be seen as a strategic investment rather than a charitable measure.
The funding forms part of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2026, a roughly $900 billion defence bill passed by Congress. It includes $400 million for Ukraine in 2026, with a further $400 million allocated for 2027 under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative.
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