US Lawmakers Urge Blinken To Allow More Aid Oversight Personnel In Ukraine - Letter

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 07th March, 2023) US Congressmen Jason Crow and Michael Waltz sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging the chief diplomat to allow more oversight personnel to work in Ukraine to ensure accountability of US assistance sent there.

"As members of the House Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committees, we want to ensure... effective inspector general (IG) oversight of the nearly $100 billion-plus of congressionally approved military support and humanitarian aid to Ukraine." the letter said on Monday.

However, the lawmakers are concerned that the State Department's cap on US personnel in Ukraine is limiting inspector general staff from traveling to the country to conduct effective oversight, the letter said.

The inspector generals from the departments of State and Defense (DOS and DOD) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) have expressed the challenges in conducting audits, inspections and investigations from outside Ukraine, the letter said.

"There is precedent for IG personnel to travel to war zones to conduct their critically important oversight role," the letter said. "Likewise, we urge you to consider opportunities to allow IG personnel from DOD, DOS, and USAID to travel to Ukraine for a limited duration to carry out their essential oversight functions."

The letter requests Blinken provide answers to whether he shares the departments' view on the challenge of conducting effective oversight from outside Ukraine and whether he will consider adjusting the US personnel cap for Ukraine to allow inspector general personnel to conduct oversight activities.