NO SURPRISE: Biden Shows Up in Kyiv for PRESIDENTS' Day

 Somethings smacks  of strategic planning - all too predictable (and "unannounced") - for an American politician and a former comedian/entertainment mogul

 

www.aljazeera.com

Russia-Ukraine live: Biden arrives in Kyiv on surprise visit

David Child

2 minutes

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The White House has released a statement from US President Joe Biden to mark his visit to Kyiv.

Here are his remarks in full:

“As the world prepares to mark the one-year anniversary of Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, I am in Kyiv today to meet with President Zelenskyy and reaffirm our unwavering and unflagging commitment to Ukraine’s democracy, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

When Putin launched his invasion nearly one year ago, he thought Ukraine was weak and the West was divided. He thought he could outlast us. But he was dead wrong.

Today, in Kyiv, I am meeting with President Zelenskyy and his team for an extended discussion on our support for Ukraine.

I will announce another delivery of critical equipment, including artillery ammunition, anti-armor systems, and air surveillance radars to help protect the Ukrainian people from aerial bombardments.

And I will share that later this week, we will announce additional sanctions against elites and companies that are trying to evade or backfill Russia’s war machine.

Over the last year, the United States has built a coalition of nations from the Atlantic to the Pacific to help defend Ukraine with unprecedented military, economic, and humanitarian support – and that support will endure.

I also look forward to traveling on to Poland to meet President Duda and the leaders of our Eastern Flank Allies, as well as deliver remarks on how the United States will continue to rally the world to support the people of Ukraine and the core values of human rights and dignity in the UN Charter that unite us worldwide.”

Russia-Ukraine live: Biden arrives in Kyiv on surprise visit

US President Joe Biden (R) is greeted by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (L) during a visit in Kyiv on February 20, 2023 [Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP]

By David Child

Published On 20 Feb 202320 Feb 2023 

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US auditors headed to Ukraine

 

"I think we've been creative and out-of-the-box, forward-looking, in the surveillance we've been able to do so far. But for real comprehensive, robust surveillance, it can't be done remotely. The closer we get, the more comprehensive the surveillance will be." , - said acting Inspector General of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Nicole Angare

She also added that the main concern is not possible misuse of military aid, but more than 20 billion dollars, which the USA sends to Ukraine through the World Bank.

 "Cash payments pose the greatest risk to oversight... They are always more at risk," Angarella said

www.frontnews.ge

The US wants to send auditors to Ukraine to check the use of the transferred aid

2 minutes

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The United States of America wants auditors and investigators to work directly in the war zone in Ukraine to verify the intended use of economic and military aid.

 This was stated by the US inspectors general in a comment to The Wall Street Journal.

 Officials responsible for ensuring that American weapons are not diverted, that taxpayer funds are not wasted and that aid programs work properly, said they plan to send some of the 177 auditors who scrutinize aid to Ukraine.

 "I think we've been creative and out-of-the-box, forward-looking, in the surveillance we've been able to do so far. But for real comprehensive, robust surveillance, it can't be done remotely. The closer we get, the more comprehensive the surveillance will be." , - said acting Inspector General of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Nicole Angarella.

 She also added that the main concern is not possible misuse of military aid, but more than 20 billion dollars, which the USA sends to Ukraine through the World Bank.

 "Cash payments pose the greatest risk to oversight... They are always more at risk," Angarella said.

 The inspectors clarified that they have not yet received any information about major frauds or illegal actions related to US aid to Ukraine.

 At the same time, according to Pentagon Inspector General Robert Storch and State Department Deputy Inspector General Diana Shaw, the main problems for thorough inspections are the very large amount of aid, the speed of its arrival and the constantly changing nature of supplies.," 

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U.S. Watchdogs Want to Deploy Staff to Ukraine War Zone to Track Arms, Aid Up Close

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1 day ago · WASHINGTON—Top oversight officials responsible for tracking over $110 billion in U.S. military and economic aid to Ukraine said they would ...

www.rt.com 

 

Nuland: US auditors arrive in Ukraine to ensure 'no aid or weapons are diverted.'

kyivindependent.com › news-feed › nula...

Jan 27, 2023 · This week, the U.S. has its auditors working in Ukraine alongside the World Bank and Deloitte consultants to make sure that “no aid or ...

US auditors headed to Ukraine – WSJ 

RT

4 - 5 minutes

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The State Department, Pentagon and USAID want to put inspector boots on the ground

After sending $110 billion worth of military and financial aid to Ukraine for a year, the US is making plans to send auditors and inspectors to Kiev so they don’t have to rely on second-hand reports, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday citing Pentagon, State Department and USAID officials.

The inspectors-general from the three respective agencies told the outlet that so far, oversight was conducted using staff in Poland and Germany. After going to Kiev last month and meeting Ukrainian officials, they decided to send some of their 177 auditors and investigators into Ukraine itself.

The trio met with Ukraine’s prime minister, ministers of defense and finance, and the prosecutor general, Defense Department IG Robert Storch told the Journal, adding that they emphasized the US “expectations for accountability, and also the importance of cooperation with our oversight work.” 

Diana Shaw, deputy IG at the State Department, said the US has given Ukraine “an incredibly large amount of assistance” in a “very short time” and that “Any fraud, waste, abuse that would divert that funding from its intended purpose risks jeopardizing the continued flow of that assistance.”

The US Congress appropriated more than $113 billion for aid to Ukraine in 2022. In addition to pricey weapons systems and ammunition, Washington has sent Kiev cash so the Ukrainian government can continue to operate. To monitor this flow, the Journal revealed, Washington has relied on staff in nearby countries, the small staff of the US embassy in Kiev, EU officials in Ukraine, and World Bank personnel.

“I think we have been as creative and you know, out of the box, forward-leaning with the oversight we’ve been able to accomplish so far. But for real comprehensive, robust oversight, it can’t be done remotely,” said Nicole Angarella, acting deputy USAID inspector general.

Shaw explained that the Kiev trip was intended to “assess whether we felt that we needed to have an on-site presence in-country. And so coming back from that trip, I think we feel that we do and so we’re now in the process of pursuing that.”

The inspectors have “thus far received no reports of major fraud or illegality” regarding the US aid, according to the Journal. President Vladimir Zelensky’s recent purges of Ukrainian officials as part of an anti-corruption campaign had nothing to do with US aid, they insisted.

While Storch and Shaw are mainly concerned with the military aid, Angarella is primarily concerned with more than $20 billion the US is sending through the World Bank to pay the salaries of Ukrainian government officials.

Cash payments are “the greatest risk for oversight,” she said. “Cash is fungible, and, you know, is always at a higher risk.” According to Angarella, USAID has assessed that “proper controls” were in place to detect any misuse of funding.

While both the ruling Democrats and the leadership of the opposition Republicans maintain the most important thing for the US to do is continue funding Ukraine “for as long as it takes,” recent polls have shown Americans growing tired of the ever-increasing aid to Kiev while problems mount at home. " READ MORE 

Ukraine Oversight | Office of Inspector General - usaid oig

oig.usaid.gov › our-work › ukraine-over...

Our oversight work, through Audits and Investigations, will identify key areas where ... affecting the United States' support to Ukraine and its people.

Mainstream Republicans back Marjorie Taylor Greene audit of Ukraine aid

www.washingtonpost.com › 2022/12/06

Dec 6, 2022 · Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) to audit U.S. military and economic aid for Ukraine, sending their strongest signal yet that the Biden ...