On war’s anniversary, Alaska’s congressional delegation calls for continued U.S. support for Ukraine

WASHINGTON — One year after Russia invaded of Ukraine, Alaska’s congressional delegation on Friday advocated continued U.S. support for the embattled nation.

The Feb. 24, 2022, invasion provoked an outpouring of support for Ukraine from many U.S. government officials, and a surprise trip by President Joe Biden to Kyiv this week, where he vowed the U.S. will stand with Ukraine “as long as it takes.” The Biden administration and Congress have directed over $75 billion in humanitarian, financial and military aid since the war’s start.

Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a senior member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, has consistently backed U.S. assistance to Ukraine. She condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin for what she called “his bloody war” and urged enduring U.S. support for Ukraine in a Friday statement.

“We have a responsibility to support (Ukraine), and we will — until they have prevailed, and their citizens and sovereignty are no longer under attack,” Murkowski said. “The United States must continue our support and messages of strength, unity, and hope — global democracy, and all that it stands for, depends on it.”

Alaska Rep. Mary Peltola, a Democrat, also advocated for ongoing aid to Ukraine and said Biden and the U.S. military have done an “admirable job” balancing support for Ukraine while not becoming directly involved with boots on the ground.

“We must continue to provide reliable and effective aid to Ukraine, which is fighting for its right to exist as a free country,” Peltola said in an email.

Peltola also said Congress and the State Department should push for an extension of a United Nations agreement with Turkey that allows Ukraine to export grain from three Black Sea ports.

Alaska Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, a Marine Corps reservist and member of the Senate Armed Services committee, also has advocated for aid to Ukraine following the invasion. He said in a statement the U.S. “will stand with the courageous people of Ukraine for as long as it takes.”

“The people of Ukraine have done what few could have imagined: repelling a murderous dictator backed by one of the largest and most advanced militaries in the world for an entire year,” Sullivan said.

He also said U.S. aid to Ukraine “must be decisive, not incremental.”

“The Biden administration cannot keep slow-walking the delivery of vital weapons systems, losing the Ukrainians months in this battle.”

A White House spokesperson said Biden has moved quickly to supply aid to Ukraine.

“President Biden has led an unprecedented international effort to provide Ukraine with the support it needs to defend itself at rapid speed over the past year and U.S. assistance has made a critical difference,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

[Tears, defiance and new tanks in Ukraine for war anniversary]

The first anniversary comes as some Republican members of Congress have questioned the significant sums being sent to Ukraine and have called to stop future U.S. aid.

Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida and 10 other House Republicans introduced a so-called “Ukraine Fatigue” resolution calling for an end to U.S. military and financial aid to Ukraine. House Oversight and Accountability Chair James Comer, R-Ky., also is leading a charge for greater supervision of the aid. In a letter to Biden administration officials, Comer and Republican members of the committee requested documents about the U.S. funds to Ukraine from the Defense and State departments and the U.S. Agency for International Development.

A Pentagon spokeswoman said it has implemented “strong measures” to track military assistance to Ukraine, according to USA Today.

Peltola said in an email she supports oversight of taxpayer dollars but worried about “oversight being used as an excuse for shrinking the aid that Ukraine needs to survive, which would encourage further Russian aggression.”

Peltola said the U.S. can invest money at home and while continuing to send money to Ukraine.

“We can still spend money on domestic priorities while protecting global stability, and that’s exactly what is happening now,” Peltola said.

Sullivan also raised concerns about U.S. allies’ spending toward Ukraine. U.S. bilateral aid for Ukraine “far exceeds” allies’ spending as of Jan. 15, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.

“The United States cannot carry the burden of supporting the Ukrainians’ courageous fight for freedom alone,” Sullivan said. “Our European allies need to realize that the appetite of a despot on the march increases with each meal.”

“Our allies’ strong rhetoric must be matched by more substantial aid and support, and meeting their commitment as NATO members to invest at least 2% of their GDP on defense,” he said.

A White House official said in an emailed statement the U.S. is working alongside allies to provide aid to Ukraine.

“President Biden has rallied the world to support the people of Ukraine as they defend their freedom and democracy against Russia’s brutal war,” the official said in a statement. “The United States is leading a coalition of more than 50 countries — from North America to Europe to the Indo-Pacific — that are providing military assistance to help Ukraine.”