On 29 January, general inspectors from the US Department of Defense, State Department, and Agency for International Development (USAID) arrived in Kyiv to help audit Ukraine’s usage of American military assistance, US Ambassador Bridget Brink said on X.
Pleased to welcome back to Kyiv three Inspectors General from the Departments of Defense, State, and USAID: @DOD_IG, @StateOIG and @USAID_OIG. Their meetings with implementers, partners, & the Ukrainian government support oversight & accountability for U.S. assistance to Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/etejesazIA
— Ambassador Bridget A. Brink (@USAmbKyiv) January 29, 2024
The visit comes after the Pentagon created a new team last fall to monitor security aid to Ukraine, following calls for more oversight from Republicans. Diana Shaw, the State Department Inspector General, says the team is “continuing their mission to provide robust, coordinated oversight of taxpayer funds.”
Continuing their mission to provide robust, coordinated oversight of taxpayer funds in the Ukraine response, @StateOIG, @DoD_IG, and @USAID_OIG have arrived in Kyiv. Jointly, the 3IGs are on the ground to promote accountability and transparency of U.S. assistance for Ukraine… pic.twitter.com/6FPEZW3TpH
— State OIG (@StateOIG) January 29, 2024
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense initiated a self-reporting concept on aid usage last November. A plan for joint physical inspections in the first half of 2024 has already been agreed upon. On 20 January, MoD’s Internal Audit Service, Armed Forces, and US embassy representatives held their first joint check of arms and equipment given by American partners. The audit’s results are currently being processed. There were no comments from US representatives during the collective work.
At the 18th Ramstein Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting on 23 January, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin confirmed the US has “seen no credible evidence” of misuse or illicit diversion of provided equipment. “The United States continues to work hard to monitor and account for US security assistance delivered to Ukraine,” he said.
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