{"id":278824,"date":"2021-06-19T07:31:50","date_gmt":"2021-06-19T04:31:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/jen-psaki-blasts-report-of-ukraine-military-aid-holdup-as-nonsense\/"},"modified":"2021-06-19T07:31:50","modified_gmt":"2021-06-19T04:31:50","slug":"jen-psaki-blasts-report-of-ukraine-military-aid-holdup-as-nonsense","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/jen-psaki-blasts-report-of-ukraine-military-aid-holdup-as-nonsense\/","title":{"rendered":"#Jen Psaki blasts report of Ukraine military aid holdup as ‘nonsense’"},"content":{"rendered":"

“#Jen Psaki blasts report of Ukraine military aid holdup as ‘nonsense’<\/strong>”<\/p>\n

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White House press secretary Jen Psaki slammed as \u201cnonsense\u201d a report Friday that the Biden administration had held up a military aid package meant for Ukraine and worth up to $100 million.<\/p>\n

Politico, citing \u201cfour people familiar with internal deliberations,\u201d reported earlier in the day<\/a> that officials on the National Security Council put delivery of the aid \u2014 which included lethal munitions like anti-tank weapons and small arms \u2014 on hold after the Kremlin announced the withdrawal of some Russian troops from positions along the Ukraine border in late April. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe idea that we have held back security assistance to Ukraine is nonsense,\u201d Psaki said in a statement<\/a>. \u201cJust last week \u2014 in the run-up to the US-Russia Summit \u2014 we provided a $150 million package of security assistance, including lethal assistance. We have now provided the entire amount app<\/a>ropriated by Congress through the Ukraine security assistance initiative.\u201d<\/p>\n

Psaki also noted Biden\u2019s statement on June 14 that the US \u201cwill do all that we can to put Ukraine in the position to be able to continue to resist Russian physical aggression.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have also prepared contingency funds in the event of a further Russian incursion into Ukraine,\u201d Psaki concluded. \u201cAs President Biden told [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin directly, we will stand unwavering in support for Ukraine\u2019s sovereignty and territorial integrity.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"The
The $150 million package reportedly provides training, equipment, advisory efforts and improving interoperability with NATO, according to a statement released by the Department of Defense on June 11.<\/figcaption>
Barcroft Media<\/a> via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The report alarmed Republicans like Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) who tweeted<\/a>: \u201cRemember when freezing military aid to Ukraine was an impeachable offense?\u201d, a reference to the claim by Democrats that the Trump administration conditioned the release of $400 million worth of military aid on the Kiev government opening an investigation into Joe Biden, his son Hunter, and their business dealings in Ukraine.<\/p>\n

House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-NY) accused Biden on Twitter<\/a> of \u201cshamefully turning his back on our Ukrainian allies.\u201d<\/p>\n

Friday marked the second time this week that the White House has denied reports of major foreign policy action involving Ukraine. On Monday, the president denied Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky\u2019s claim that NATO leaders had \u201cconfirmed\u201d the Eastern European nation would be allowed to join the trans-Atlantic alliance. Russia has long said it considers such a move to be a red line.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt depends on whether they meet the criteria,\u201d Biden said. \u201cThe fact is, they still have to clean up corruption. The fact is they have to meet other criteria to get into the action plan. And so it\u2019s, you know, school\u2019s out on that question. It remains to be seen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Last month, the White House went so far as to cross out part of a transcript of remarks by deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre that had expressed support for Ukraine joining NATO. The White House said at the time that Jean-Pierre had \u201cmisspoke\u201d and her words did not reflect official policy.\n <\/p><\/div>\n