US to send auditors to war zones to monitor use of US aid

The U.S. government intends to send auditors and investigators to the war zones in Ukraine to monitor how the military and economic aid donated by the United States is being used. Since the beginning of the war, Washington has transferred more than $110 billion to Kyiv.

Source. The Wall Street Journal

Details. Inspectors general from the Pentagon, the State Department, and the U.S. Agency for International Development informed the newspaper about plans to send auditors to Ukraine.

So far, employees of these agencies have been conducting the audit remotely from Washington. They were also assisted by partners in Poland and Germany. However, as the scale of assistance increases, the oversight agencies intend to tighten control.

After a joint trip to Kyiv in late January, the inspectors said they would push for 177 auditors and investigators to be sent to Ukraine.

"Real comprehensive, reliable oversight cannot be done remotely. The closer we are, the more comprehensive the oversight will be," said USAID Deputy Inspector General Nicole Angarella.

So far, the inspectors have not been able to identify any serious violations of the law in relation to the assistance provided by the United States. However, the scale and speed of its provision is a problem in itself. It is necessary to work and submit reports in real time, not months or years after the aid is provided.

Since Russia's invasion, US military aid to Ukraine has reached $29.3 billion, according to the Pentagon. And through 2022, Congress has allocated more than $113 billion to Ukraine, the WSJ notes.

"This is an incredibly large amount of aid going to one government for one purpose in a very short time. Any fraud, waste, or abuse that diverts this funding from its intended purpose risks jeopardizing the continued flow of this assistance," said Diane Shaw, Deputy Inspector General of the State Department.

Earlier, the Republicans demanded stricter requirements for auditing the funds transferred to Ukraine as aid. They introduced a bill to the House of Representatives, which is controlled by their party. Strengthening the audit was one of the conditions for continuing assistance to Ukraine.