It was a whirlwind weekend trip by a bipartisan congressional delegation to Ukraine. The goal was try to get a snapshot of how much of a difference U.S. aid is making to the war effort against Russia.
A Santa Barbara congressman who was part of the group said more than ever, it’s clear that support from the United States is helping to keep Ukraine going.
"We need to continue our support with our allies of Ukraine," said Democratic Congressman Salud Carbajal. "Assistance that Congress has approved, that we voted for, is clearly making a difference."
The five-person delegation first traveled to Poland and met with some U.S. troops. Then, they went to Ukraine, where they meet with members of the Ukrainian government.
"We met with the NGO of anti-corruption, we met with the Ukrainian logistics command, we met with the General Staff of the Ukrainian Military, and we also met with representatives of the Ministry of Defense," said Republican Congressman Joe Wilson of South Carolina. "It was an action-packed day."
Democratic Congressman Ruben Gallego of Arizona admits the quick trip was a blunt look at what the Ukrainian people are facing every day. "The difference between last September (when he visited) and this year was there were anti-tank hedgehogs at intersections to block tank invasions." He said there were lots of damaged buildings which were boarded up with plywood.
The five members of the delegation are part of of the House Armed Services Committee. It plays a key part in deciding the role the U.S. plays the international effort to support the Ukrainian war effort. They are back in Washington, D.C, where they spoke to reporters after the quick trip.
Members of the delegation say Congress is at a key juncture in the funding issue.
"DOD (the Department of Defense) has said they will run out of money by spring for Ukraine," said Carbajal. "It's imperative we are able to move without delay...delay would be disastrous."
Carbajal said one of the things he feels confident in is that the Ukrainian government is using the money and supplies it’s getting from the U.S. efficiently. "I was most impressed with the system...that they demonstrated how they created transparency and accountability for all the equipment we provided."
Delegation members said they saw firsthand that Ukrainian defense needs have changed greatly in the last few months. They said the Russians have become more reliant on airborne attacks, so Ukraine has the need for materials to beef up its defenses in a different way.
And, they said the other major concern is that Russian is turning the region’s bitterly cold winter into a weapon by destroying utility infrastructure.
Carbajal said their biggest takeaway from the quick weekend trip to Ukraine is the ongoing determination of its people to continue their battle for freedom. He said their resolve appears to be as strong as ever.
