Letter to Hon. Joseph Biden, President of the United States - After Pentagon Rejects Poland's Plan to Provide Fighter Jets, Sen. Cramer, Colleagues Call for Biden, NATO Allies to Expedite Aircraft and Defense Systems to Ukraine

Letter

U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and Senate Ukraine Caucus, joined Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA), Mitt Romney (R-UT), and 39 Senate Republican colleagues in calling on President Biden to work with Poland and our NATO allies to expedite the transfer of aircraft and air defense systems, as well as additional support capabilities, to Ukraine. This comes after the Defense Department's decision to reject Poland's plans to provide MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine.

"We urge your Administration to work with Poland and our NATO allies to expedite the transfer of urgently-needed airpower, air defense systems, and other combat and support capabilities from the United States, NATO allies, and other European partners to Ukraine," wrote the senators.

"While we commend the lethal aid that your Administration has sent to Ukraine thus far, we strongly disagree with your decision to delay and deny Poland the option to transfer fighter jets to Ukraine. Your Administration champions the $1 billion in defense articles provided to Ukraine over the past 13 months and has definitively stated there are no restrictions in your current suite of authorities to adequately respond to Russia's lawless and bloody invasion of Ukraine," continued the senators.

"We implore you to act without delay to provide urgently needed airpower that will bolster the ability of the Ukrainian armed forces to defend their country and help save civilian lives," concluded the senators.