U.S. Secretary of State declares Ukraine aid vital to U.S. national security

The United States’ commitment to support Ukraine in its defense against the full-scale Russian invasion is critical to U.S. national security, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the Defense Department's 2025 budget proposal  on April 9.

"Our security in these turbulent times relies on American strength of purpose,” Austin told Congress.

Read also: Pentagon General warns of risks to Ukraine from House Republicans ignoring aid bill

“Russian President Vladimir Putin is betting that the United States will falter and abandon our friends and leave Ukraine in mortal danger. Should the Kremlin take over Ukraine, it will embolden would-be aggressors around the globe and the United States would be far less secure if Putin got his way in Ukraine.”

American inaction would endanger the free world and create the risk of "unimaginable costs and dangers", he added.

“China and other countries are watching the situation around Ukraine, learning from what Putin does and how we respond,” Austin noted.

Read also: Pentagon launches Ukraine aid oversight web portal

Ukraine has done a "great job" of retaking about 50% of the territory captured by Russians at the start of the full-scale invasion despite being outnumbered and outgunned on the battlefield, the Defense Secretary said.

Ukraine is not asking its partners to fight for it — it is only asking for means to support its own efforts, Austin pointed out.

"They won't be able to resupply the much-needed air defense systems that they need to protect their people without security assistance, and their other defense capabilities would atrophy," Austin concluded.

The State Department has greenlit an emergency $138 million in foreign military sales for Ukraine on April 9 to provide critical support and repairs for Kyiv's Hawk missile systems.

Ukraine aid bill blocked in Congress

The U.S. Senate passed a $95 billion aid bill for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, with $60 billion allocated for Kyiv on Feb. 13. House Speaker Mike Johnson criticized the Senate proposal the same day, saying that he would not bring the Senate-supported bill to the floor for consideration.

Read also: U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson pledges to finally take action on Ukraine aid after budget approval

Johnson promised a “timely” vote on extending aid to Ukraine following a meeting with President Joe Biden at the White House on Feb. 27.

Speakers of 23 parliaments and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola appealed to Johnson on Feb. 28 to consider the bill. The next day, he announced that the House of Representatives would not take up the issue of providing aid to Ukraine until budget negotiations are completed.

On March 23, U.S. President Joe Biden signed a package of bills funding government agencies to the sum of $1.2 trillion,. He called on the House to pass the bill providing aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.

Read also: U.S. Congress to finally get around to passing Ukraine aid bill – US intelligence committee chair

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