Demand for Unclassified Ukraine Strategy Report

By Patricia Zengerle

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republican leaders of the U.S. House of Representatives’ national security committees demanded that President Joe Biden’s administration release an unclassified version of its report on its Ukraine war strategy on Wednesday.

This demand was made a day before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is scheduled to meet lawmakers at the U.S. Capitol.

Congress has allocated nearly $175 billion in aid and military assistance to Ukraine and its allies over the past 2.5 years since Russia’s full-scale invasion, with expectations of further funding approval needed in the coming months.

Reuters reported on September 9 that the administration had submitted the report to Congress, even after missing a June deadline imposed by a multibillion-dollar spending bill from April, which required a detailed strategy for Ukraine by early June.

The report remains classified, and lawmakers have been advocating for a public version, particularly as they may vote on more funding early next year.

“Given the vital U.S. interests at stake in Ukraine defeating Putin’s invading forces, all of Congress and the American people deserve to understand how their hard-earned tax dollars are being spent,” stated the chairs of several House committees in a joint statement.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.