Durbin, Grassley Urge Defense Secretary Hegseth To Immediately Release Congressionally Approved Funding To The Baltic Security Initiative, Ukraine

Durbin, Grassley Urge Defense Secretary Hegseth To Immediately Release Congressionally Approved Funding To The Baltic Security Initiative, Ukraine

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Co-Chairs of the Senate Baltic Freedom Caucus, today sent a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to immediately release stalled Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 defense funding for Ukraine and $200 million for the Baltic Security Initiative (BSI). Durbin first created the BSI in 2021 and that was codified in the FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act. The letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-NV).

In a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing earlier this month, Durbin questioned Secretary Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine about the funds. Durbin received commitment from Secretary Hegseth that the funds will be released.

"We write to follow up on bipartisan concerns recently expressed in Congressional hearings about seemingly stalled disbursement of key Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 defense appropriations. Specifically, we urge you to obligate Congressionally appropriated FY26 funds in Public Law 119-75 for Ukraine and the Baltic Security Initiative (BSI) without any further delay. These two specific allocations have strong and broad bipartisan Congressional support," the Senators wrote. "The $400 million in security assistance for Ukraine that was included in the FY26 defense appropriations bill should be disbursed immediately."

The Senators continued: "Congress has repeatedly supported strong assistance for the Baltic States. These front-line NATO allies have a powerful memory of living under the Soviet yoke…They also are the targets of sustained Russian belligerence, threats, and sabotage. In fact, a Russian testing of NATO might very well start in the Baltics. As such, Congress appropriated $200 million in the FY26 defense appropriations bill for the BSI, which was codified in the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act (Public Law 119-60), funds we similarly expect to be released without delay."

The Senators concluded their letter: "We urge you to swiftly obligate these Congressionally appropriated funds for Ukraine and the Baltics and request that you immediately provide a spend plan for execution, which was promised to Congress by May 15. Any further delays-particularly as the Department reportedly plans troubling U.S. troops withdrawals from the region-risks our ability to adequately deter Russia."

Durbin and Grassley have been champions in the Senate for the Baltic nations. Earlier this year, they introduced the Baltic Security Assessment Act of 2026, legislation that requires the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, to submit a report to the House and Senate Committees on Armed Services, Foreign Relations and Affairs, and Appropriations on emerging threats posed to the Baltic countries-Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

Last March, Durbin and Grassley introduced the Baltic Security Initiative Act, bipartisan legislation to effectively codify the Baltic Security Initiative, which Durbin created in 2021 to enhance and strengthen U.S. security cooperation with the Baltics amid an increase of Russian hybrid attacks in the Baltics and across Europe, and Russia's war in Ukraine.

In 2022, Durbin traveled to Vilnius, Lithuania, where he received the Aleksandras Stulginskis Star Award-only the second individual and first American to receive this award. It was granted to Durbin for his decades-long support of Lithuanian independence and democracy and his promotion of parliamentary values. He was in Vilnius four years ago on the morning Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Durbin's mother immigrated to the U.S. as a child from Lithuania.

Full text of the letter can be found here and below.

May 22, 2026

Dear Secretary Hegseth,

We write to follow up on bipartisan concerns recently expressed in Congressional hearings about seemingly stalled disbursement of key Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 defense appropriations. Specifically, we urge you to obligate Congressionally appropriated FY26 funds in Public Law 119-75 for Ukraine and the Baltic Security Initiative (BSI) without any further delay. These two specific allocations have strong and broad bipartisan Congressional support.

Ukraine has persistently and bravely repelled a four-year Russian onslaught, but its military needs and deserves continued American support. Maintaining Ukrainian capabilities and pressure are particularly timely as the Administration tries to negotiate an end to the war and amid increasing signs of a weakening Russian economy. Accordingly, the $400 million in security assistance for Ukraine that was included in the FY26 defense appropriations bill should be disbursed immediately.

Similarly, Congress has repeatedly supported strong assistance for the Baltic States. These front-line NATO allies have a powerful memory of living under the Soviet yoke. They are consistently among the top NATO countries in terms of military spending as a percentage of GDP. They also are the targets of sustained Russian belligerence, threats, and sabotage. In fact, a Russian testing of NATO might very well start in the Baltics. As such, Congress appropriated $200 million in the FY26 defense appropriations bill for the BSI, which was codified in the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act (Public Law 119-60), funds we similarly expect to be released without delay. We understand from recent testimony that there was a minor drafting error in the FY26 appropriations tables related to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, and while that issue will be resolved, there is no reason to delay execution on the $200 million for the BSI.

We urge you to swiftly obligate these Congressionally appropriated funds for Ukraine and the Baltics and request that you immediately provide a spend plan for execution, which was promised to Congress by May 15. Any further delays-particularly as the Department reportedly plans troubling U.S. troops withdrawals from the region-risks our ability to adequately deter Russia.

Thank you for your continued support of our partners and allies on the frontlines of democracy.

Sincerely,

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