The WH DENIES froze an aid package to Ukraine

❗️The WH DENIES reports it froze a $100 million aid package to Ukraine ahead of President Joe Biden’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"The idea that we have held back security assistance to Ukraine is nonsense."

Politico reported onFriday, citing sources, that the stakes of the meeting, plus Russia’s military drawdown near Ukraine’s borders, led to the package being frozen.

President Trump freezing aid to Ukraine in 2019 started a massive political scandal which eventually lead to his impeachment.

Full statement:

The idea that we have held back security assistance to Ukraine is nonsense. Just last week—in the run-up to the U.S.-Russia Summit—we provided a $150 million package of security assistance, including lethal assistance. We have now provided the entire amount appropriated by Congress through the Ukraine security assistance initiative. Two days before the Summit, President Biden stood on the stage before the entire world at NATO and said that we would keep putting Ukraine “in the position to be able to continue to resist Russian physical aggression.” We have also prepared contingency funds in the event of a further Russian incursion into Ukraine. As President Biden told President Putin directly, we will stand unwavering in support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.