U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has confirmed that the Pentagon decided to unblock previously allocated financial assistance for Ukraine, which had been planned for 2025.
Details
Bloomberg reported this on April 29. According to the outlet, officials confirmed that the Pentagon released $400 million for Ukraine. Hegseth announced the decision during a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee. Earlier in 2025, Congress had already approved this funding as part of defense assistance for Ukraine. However, a senior Republican senator responsible for defense spending later criticized the Pentagon’s leadership over the delay.
“The financing was “allocated for European capacity building, and as of yesterday it was released,” Hegseth said on April 29 when answering questions about the finances.
The publication noted that Senator Mitch McConnell, who chairs the Senate panel overseeing defense spending, had previously raised concerns about the issue. He wrote that the approved aid for Ukraine had not yet been directed as intended. When Senate representatives contacted the department’s policy office, they did not receive clear explanations.
“The Ukraine aid we passed months ago is now collecting dust at the Pentagon,” McConnell wrote in The Washington Post.
War Outlook
The outlet added that U.S. support for Ukraine has weakened. President Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth believe that European countries should take on more financial responsibility in supporting Ukraine’s war effort against Russia. On April 29, Trump held a conversation with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin. According to Trump, the Russian president may soon announce a “little ceasefire.”
Jules Hurst, acting Pentagon comptroller, said the funds aren’t yet under contract. How they will be used depends on what defense equipment Ukraine decides to procure.
Earlier, The Ukrainian Review reported that German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said military cooperation with Ukraine brings practical benefits to Berlin. During a meeting between government and defense industry representatives, he stressed that Germany is actively adopting Ukraine’s experience in drones and cybersecurity.
