The White House on Tuesday asked Congress for additional funding related to Ukraine. Of the 38 billion requested (which will be included in the 2023 budget) almost 22 billion – a truly huge sum – is expected to go towards equipping the Ukrainian armed forces and replenishing the US Department of Defense’s stockpiles (as many of were made available in Kyiv).
Another $14.5 billion will be given to the State Department and USAID to launch programs of immediate economic and humanitarian assistance to the Ukrainian government, as well as to strengthen global food security. While 900 million is planned to be allocated to the Ministry of Health to provide health care and support to Ukrainian prisoners who are released and return to their homeland.
In fact, in a letter from the director of the Office of Management and Budget, Salanda Young to the speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, she states that she urges the Congress to provide additional appropriations to ensure that Ukraine “has the funding, weapons and support that it needs.” needed to defend itself and that vulnerable people continue to receive life-saving help.”
Also of interest is the fact that the White House is also asking Congress to approve an additional $7 billion in Presidential Drawdown Authority, President Biden’s ability to send weapons as defense aid — to Ukraine in this case — from existing US stocks.
Finally, we note that Congress has provided $65.9 billion to Ukraine (in credits and materials) through three separate supplemental funding packages between February and today. If Congress approves the White House’s new request, total US aid will reach $104 billion in less than a year, bearing the biggest burden of international aid to Kyiv.
