Congress appropriated $113 billion in 2022 to help Ukraine defend itself from Russian aggression. Auditors are now bolstering efforts to ensure the money — directed to economic and military purposes — is spent appropriately. This is a sensible protection for U.S. taxpayers.
The Wall Street Journal reported last week that officials charged with monitoring the use of American funds in Ukraine will step up scrutiny by deploying “auditors and investigators directly into the war zone to beef up monitoring as the scale and scope of American assistance expands.” Previously, the Pentagon and State Department had conducted such oversight remotely through personnel based in Washington, Poland and Germany.
The purpose, the paper noted, is to ensure “U.S. weapons aren’t diverted, taxpayer funds aren’t siphoned off and aid programs are working properly.”
