Biden wants to ask Congress for largest aid package for Ukraine worth US$100 billion

Joe Biden, President of the US, has an intention to turn to the Congress with a request to allocate the largest aid package for Ukraine worth up to US$100 billion.

Source: The Telegraph with reference to sources

Details: Biden considers a "one-and-done" bill on financing the aid for Ukraine until the next presidential elections, trying to overcome an impasse with Republicans.

Some officials believe that adopting a single package of up to $100 billion may give Biden’s administration the best chance to facilitate the financing of the aid for Ukraine before the presidential elections set to be held in the US next November. This step will allow tge government to avoid further debate in the Congress concerning the spending on Ukraine next year.

"The idea about the "big package" is firmly supported by many in the administration," a source familiar with the discussion reported.

Republican leader Donald Trump and two other leading presidential candidates from the Republican Party have many times criticised Biden due to providing Ukraine with aid, claiming that the money must be spent on internal priorities. Herewith the support of Ukraine among Americans is also decreasing.

According to two informed sources, the dismissal of Republican Kevin McCarthy, speaker of the Chamber of Representatives, may make it more difficult for Biden to ask the Congress for periodic replenishment of expenses on Ukraine, which will force him to change the approach.

The US administration representative told The Telegraph that the White House "does not adopt any decisions on whether to make one big package and what the sum will be" until the end of the elections for the new speaker who will replace McCarthy which will start on 11 October. Yet the big package for financing the aid for Ukraine until November 2024 is "one of the options" that are being considered.

Some Republicans will act against a "joint" bill about the expenses on Ukraine and, maybe, Biden will have to make concessions concerning border control and other rightwing theses in exchange for submitting his request for voting by the new speaker, as stated by The Telegraph.

Meanwhile it forecasts that if the "joint package" of the aid for Ukraine will be submitted for voting in the Chamber of Representatives, it will most likely be supported by almost all Democrats and about a half Republicans. Financing Ukraine also has the support of a large majority.

Since the beginning of the full-scale war in Ukraine in February 2022, the Congress has approved four military aid packages with a total sum of about $113 billion. Nearly $73 billion of this sum were directly handed to Kyiv in cash or armament taken from American weapon stocks. The largest $45 billion package was adopted in December 2022 but it is getting depleted.

According to a representative of the President’s administration, Bien plans a "big" speech concerning Ukraine, trying "to unite America as to why it is so important to support Ukraine, and how much is at stake".

The date of the speech has not been set yet but it will likely take place after the next speaker of the Chamber of Representatives is chosen.

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