Biden admin official claims Ukraine is not misusing U.S. financial aid, nothing to see here

Power affirmed that Ukraine has made progress in addressing corruption and that officials are continually checking to ensure U.S. taxpayer dollars are being used properly.

Biden admin official claims Ukraine is not misusing U.S. financial aid, nothing to see here
Evelyn Hockstein/Pool via AP
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The administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Samantha Power, claimed to the American public that Ukraine is not misusing the tens of billions of dollars it has received in direct financial assistance from the U.S. government.

Her remarks follow a string of firings in the Ukrainian government over allegations of corruption.

During a live town hall on CNN on Thursday, Power affirmed that Ukraine has made progress in addressing corruption and that officials are continually checking to ensure U.S. taxpayer dollars are being used properly.

Power's comments came just hours before the White House announced that it would give Ukraine another $2 billion in military aid as its war with Russia enters its second year. This brings the total amount of American military assistance to over $30 billion in one year.

Despite doubts about the potential for corruption in Ukraine, the U.S. has given more than $100 billion in military and humanitarian aid to the country since the start of the war.

Responding to a question about Ukraine's long history of corruption, Power emphasized the importance of checks and balances, the rule of law, and the integrity of officials.

She stated that the U.S. does not provide resources like paying health workers or providing disability support to Ukraine unless officials see a receipt for an expenditure, and that the U.S. acts on the basis of reimbursing Ukraine for its spending.

Despite Power's assurances, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry has been dealing with a string of corruption scandals, including excessive payments for food, dubious military contracts with kickbacks, the sale of military equipment to international buyers, and embezzlement from the national winter aid budget.

President Volodomyr Zelensky has sought to address these issues by sacking officials in the wake of corruption allegations.

Power acknowledged the constant allegations of corruption and explained that the U.S. Government Accountability Office has launched a new initiative to help Ukraine expand its auditing institution, which she said will be needed for the reconstruction of Ukraine.

In January, Insider reported that Zelensky fired 9 top officials following reports that members of the government went on vacation in Spain and France and took bribes.

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