In brief: A bipartisan group of 32 US lawmakers has demanded that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accelerate delivery of $400 million in congressionally approved military aid to Ukraine. In a letter also addressed to White House budget chief Russell Vought, lawmakers warned that the Pentagon’s current schedule extends through fiscal year 2029, after President Donald Trump’s term ends.
A bipartisan group of 32 US lawmakers demanded Monday, Nov. 9, that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accelerate delivery of $400 million in military assistance to Ukraine, warning that the Pentagon’s current schedule could delay final shipments until 2029.
In a joint letter to Hegseth and Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, lawmakers from both chambers of Congress criticized the Trump administration for delaying the implementation of funding approved for fiscal year 2026.
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The letter, led by Democratic Congressman Jim Costa of California and signed by Republicans including Senators Chuck Grassley, Thom Tillis, Joni Ernst and John Cornyn, demands a written explanation by Nov. 30.
The lawmakers said the Pentagon had committed the funding only after months of delays and had failed to provide an acceptable delivery schedule.
According to the Defense Department’s spending plan, final deliveries are not projected until fiscal year 2029, after President Donald Trump’s current term in office ends.
The lawmakers warned that the delays could weaken Ukraine’s defenses as Russia intensifies missile and drone attacks on cities and critical infrastructure ahead of winter.
Congress demands answers over delays
Congress authorized $400 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) in December 2025, with the funding receiving bipartisan support.
The lawmakers said the Pentagon waited until the final weeks of the fiscal year to commit most of the money, despite earlier assurances from Hegseth that the funds had been released.
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They demanded that the administration explain any restrictions imposed by the Office of Management and Budget and provide a detailed schedule showing when Ukraine would receive the equipment.
The lawmakers also requested an explanation for the reported exclusion of Patriot interceptor missiles from the package.
Patriot systems are especially important for defending Ukrainian cities against Russian ballistic missile attacks, and Kyiv has repeatedly urged Western allies to accelerate interceptor deliveries.
The letter also calls on the administration to ensure that any military assistance approved for fiscal year 2027 is processed without similar delays.
The lawmakers warned that postponing support during another winter of Russian attacks undermines US commitments and efforts to deter further Russian aggression.
Republicans join Democrats in pressing Pentagon
The letter brought together 22 House members and 10 senators from both parties, demonstrating continued bipartisan congressional support for military assistance to Ukraine.
Alongside Costa, signatories included Democratic Representatives Eugene Vindman, Marcy Kaptur, Mike Quigley and Ted Lieu, as well as Republicans Don Bacon and Brian Fitzpatrick.
In the Senate, Republican signatories included Grassley, Tillis, Ernst and Cornyn, alongside Democrats Dick Durbin, Mark Kelly, Michael Bennet and Richard Blumenthal.
The lawmakers pledged continued congressional scrutiny until the assistance reaches Ukraine.
The latest demand follows an earlier bipartisan appeal led by Durbin and Grassley in May, when senators urged Hegseth to release funding for Ukraine and Baltic allies.
The latest congressional pressure comes as Kyiv continues requesting additional air defense systems and ammunition to counter Russian attacks.
Ukraine’s chargé d’affaires in Washington, Denys Sienik, said Monday that Kyiv had received encouraging signals from the Pentagon regarding the $400 million package, although specific delivery dates remained unclear.
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