$46 billion allocated for Ukraine military in US $105 billion budget request – Ukraine Amb to US

In a budget proposal submitted to the US Congress, the White House has requested approximately $105 billion in additional funding for assistance to Ukraine, Israel, and other partners, with the largest portion, around $61.4 billion, designated for Ukraine or Ukraine-related initiatives.

Ukrainian Ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, emphasized that in American budget legislation, a request represents the administration’s vision, and it is essential to analyze the figures when this vision transforms into a budgetary document within Congress.

While it’s important to note that these figures are part of the administration’s vision and require congressional approval, the breakdown of the main components of the request includes:

Defense expenditure: The budget allocates $46.1 billion, with $30.6 billion designated for US Department of Defense programs, including replenishing defense supplies, reimbursing expenses for defense services and military education provided to the Ukrainian government, and funding the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. An additional $1.7 billion is designated for the US State Department’s Foreign Military Financing program for Ukraine and other countries impacted by the conflict, and $14.4 billion for technical support, intelligence, increasing weapon production, and cybersecurity.

Economic/financial/civilian and nuclear security: This category amounts to $14.75 billion, including $11.8 billion for direct budgetary support to Ukraine, $2.2 billion for supporting immediate recovery needs and program development in Ukraine and other conflict-affected regions, $360 million to the US State Department to assist the Ukrainian government in restoring and promoting the rule of law in recently liberated or war-affected territories, and $100 million for US State Department programs related to non-proliferation, counter-terrorism, demining, and related initiatives.

Nuclear security assistance: An additional $149.5 million is allocated to the US National Nuclear Administration.

Humanitarian aid: The budget sets aside $481 million for programs supporting Ukrainians arriving in the United States under the Uniting for Ukraine initiative.

Moreover, a substantial portion of the funding allocated for humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, Israel, and affected regions (country-specific distribution pending) is as follows:

$3.5 billion to provide humanitarian assistance through US Department of State programs to Ukraine and Israel, as well as regions affected by the situation in Israel and the conflict in Ukraine.

$5.7 billion for USAID programs to address growing humanitarian needs stemming from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Gaza conflict, and the cascading regional and global consequences of these crises.

While the administration’s proposal offers a comprehensive perspective on the requested budget, it is crucial to understand that these figures will only take shape as a budgetary document within Congress after due consideration. The Ukrainian Embassy in the United States expressed its appreciation for the substantial budget request and will work with both chambers and parties to ensure its approval. The Senate may process the initiative for consideration, while the House of Representatives will address it after the matter of selecting a speaker is resolved, as four previous votes on the matter did not yield a decision.

Earlier this mont, US President Joe Biden has submitted a budget proposal to the US Congress, seeking approximately $105 billion to bolster the security requirements of Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, and address border concerns, with the bulk of the funding, more than $61 billion, designated for military assistance to Ukraine. The additional aid also includes $14.3 billion for Israel, $2 billion for Taiwan, and over $9 billion for humanitarian efforts. This initiative is projected to funnel about $50 billion into the US defense industry, thereby enhancing production capacity, fortifying the American economy, enhancing national security, and generating new job opportunities, as emphasized by Shalanda Young, Director of the US Office of Management and Budget.

This substantial financial support comes as the US has already supplied Ukraine with military aid totaling $44 billion since the onset of the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022. In his address to the American people, President Biden underlined the importance of investing in the security of Ukraine and Israel, emphasizing that this strategic move will yield long-term dividends in terms of American security.

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