US President Joe Biden has asked Congress to provide $ 33 billion in military, economic and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, more than twice the $ 13.6 billion approved for Kyiv last month, as a sign that Washington is preparing for a long and escalating conflict.
Biden’s request on Thursday, which Congress is likely to approve, includes $ 20.4 billion in security and military aid, in particular $ 5 billion in weapons from US stockpiles. The announcement of the new funds, which is expected to continue until September, is the latest escalation of tensions between Moscow and the West over Vladimir Putin’s war.
“As long as the attacks and atrocities continue, we will provide military assistance,” he said. “It’s not cheap, but retreating from aggression will be more expensive. . . We either support the Ukrainian people while they defend their country, or we stand aside while the Russians continue their atrocities and aggression in Ukraine.
Washington is taking an increasingly urgent approach to the war, expanding the scope and amount of deadly aid it has provided to Ukraine in recent weeks.
Tensions have risen on other fronts this week, with Russia continuing its offensive in eastern Ukraine, the United States convening a meeting of more than 40 countries to increase arms aid to Kyiv, and Moscow announcing a halt to gas exports to Poland and Bulgaria.
Biden said the United States had largely exhausted previous congressional funding, suggesting the White House expects the war to continue for months to come.
He added that the new package has begun the “transition to long-term security assistance”.
In addition to arms aid, there is $ 6 billion in security aid and $ 4 billion in the State Department’s external military funding program.
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The White House said the resources would support the provision of additional artillery, armored vehicles, cyber capabilities and air defense, as well as efforts to clear ground mines and improvised explosive devices. They will also support the deployment of US troops on NATO territory.
In addition, the United States plans to provide $ 8.5 billion in economic aid to the Ukrainian government and $ 3 billion in humanitarian aid to tackle food security and support people displaced by the war.
Washington is seeking funding for the US Department of Justice’s efforts to confiscate high-value assets from people sanctioned in connection with Russia’s actions in Ukraine. The Biden administration is proposing legislation to streamline the process of recovering proceeds from confiscations of assets and directing them to repairing the damage from the war.
Biden said the United States is also working with countries, including South Korea, Japan and Qatar, to help European nations face threats from Russia to cut off energy supplies.
“We will not allow Russia to intimidate or blackmail them out of these sanctions. “We will not allow them to use their oil and gas to avoid the consequences of their aggression,” he added.
There is widespread bipartisan support in Washington for additional funding for Ukraine, but it may take time depending on whether the money is entangled with other funding requests. Biden also called on Congress to provide more funding for Covid-19, adding that Capitol Hill would decide how to service the demands.
Funding for Covid-19 came amid battles between Democrats and Republicans over immigration.
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