4.28.22
The Biden administration is asking Congress for a massive new $33 billion funding request to bolster Ukraine’s military as its war with Russia enters its ninth week, ensuring that Washington, and Europe, remain all-in on beating back Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion. The package, which is by far the largest single funding proposal of the war and dwarfs the annual defense budgets of most nations, comes as Ukraine and Russia face off in a pivotal battle in Ukraine’s east that will rely on high-tech weaponry such as drones, aircraft and long-range artillery — all things that NATO countries have pumped into the country in recent weeks. The proposal includes more than $20 billion in new military and security assistance, including new authority to quickly transfer weapons to Ukraine out of military stocks and supercharging a Pentagon program to arm its military. The administration is also proposing billions in economic and humanitarian aid as part of the package.
The high dollar amount requested also sends a signal to Russia that the United States intends to back Ukraine in the fight for the long run. It will also likely boost Ukrainians who say they want to defeat Russia, not merely settle for a long-term stalemate. In a White House address announcing the funding request, President Joe Biden said it is “critical this funding gets approved and approved as quickly as possible.” The president also couched the effort in terms of a longer struggle against Russian aggression and supporting partner states in Europe. “The cost of this fight is not cheap,” Biden said. “But caving to aggression is going to be more costly if we allow it to happen. We either back [the] Ukrainian people as they defend their country, or we stand by as the Russians continue their atrocities and aggression in Ukraine.”
www.politico.com
