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Putin Won’t Like Joe Biden’s Big $33,000,000,000 Ukraine Aid Package

Russian TOS-1 flamethrower weapon. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Russian TOS-1 flamethrower weapon. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Biden’s $33 Billion Ukraine Package Could Be Approved Next Week – Last week, U.S. President Joe Biden asked Congress to approve a $33 billion aid package for Ukraine. The package is substantially larger than previous rounds of aid approved by Congress. It is designed to help Ukraine stop Russia’s advance from the eastern Donbas region and the embattled port cities in the country’s south. 

“We need this bill to support Ukraine in its fight for freedom,” Biden told reporters from the White House last Thursday. “This cost of this fight, it’s not cheap, but caving to aggression is going to be more costly.”

The president said that the money was a “direct investment in defending freedom and democracy itself.”

The package, however, is not a done deal. Congress must vote on the proposed package before the Biden White House can authorize the transfer of funds, military equipment, and other supplies. Before a vote is held, legislators must also draft legislation that reflects the proposed details of the package put forward by the White house. 

What’s In the Package?

The $33 billion package includes provisions for the supply of additional weaponry and ammunition and economic assistance, general supplies, and humanitarian aid.

$20 billion will be set aside to cover ammunition and weapons and other military assistance short of sending troops into Ukrainian territory. 

$8.5 billion will be given to Ukraine in direct economic assistance, which will help the Ukrainian government pay for vital services as it continues its fight against Ukraine and rebuilds its major cities. 

$3 billion will be used for humanitarian aid.

If approved, the package is designed to see Ukraine through September, which is the end of the fiscal year. It could also be the end of the war, as some reports suggest that the Kremlin is planning to end the military campaign by September

Javelin Green Beret Ukraine

Javelin anti-tank missile being fired along with a mortar. Image credit: UK government.

Pelosi Suggests Vote Next Week

On Wednesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that a vote could be held on the proposed package next week when the House comes back from recess.

“We’re writing the bill now, and hopefully we will be able to vote on it next week,” Pelosi told reporters during a press briefing in Washington state. 

Pelosi also reminded reporters that drafting legislation like this “takes a little time.”

M777

U.S. Marines with Ground Combat Element, Marine Rotational Force – Darwin, fire an M777 during fire missions training at Mount Bundey Training Area, NT, Australia, Aug. 6 2020. The training provided Marines a unique opportunity to develop new techniques and procedures to integrate direct and indirect fire. The ability to rapidly deploy fire support and employ indirect fire weapons provides the Marine Corps an advantage as a forward expeditionary force deployed to austere environments. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Lydia Gordon)

However, the legislation may have delays, as some Democrats have expressed interest in attaching the Ukraine funding package to an additional proposal that would provide billions more dollars in COVID-19 relief. Speaker Pelosi herself has endorsed the idea, but it is unlikely to receive any support from Republicans – making it harder to get much-needed aid to Ukraine promptly. 

Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization and reports on Western governments’ approaches to today’s pressing issues. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society.

Written By

Jack Buckby is 19FortyFive's Breaking News Editor. He is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society.

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