White House turns to Congress for additional funding for Ukraine

The Joe Biden administration formally addressed Congress regarding the allocation of an additional $40 over $24 billion for aid to Ukraine and other countries affected by the Russian war.

The text of the appeal was published on Thursday on the White House website, Ukrinform reports.

"Today, the Administration is transmitting a supplemental funding request to the Congress to address three sets of critical needs for emergency funding," the document states.

It is proposed to allocate funds within the framework of a potential short-term continuing Congress resolution for the first quarter of fiscal year 2024.

The need for further support for Ukraine is noted.

“Previous supplemental appropriations for direct military aid, economic and humanitarian assistance, and other support have been committed or nearly committed.  The Administration is requesting supplemental security, economic, and humanitarian assistance funding that would support Ukraine, as well as countries and vulnerable populations worldwide impacted by Russia’s unprovoked and brutal invasion of Ukraine," the letter notes.

The request includes more than $13 billion in security assistance, $8.5 billion in economic and humanitarian support for Ukraine through State Department and USAID funds, as well as $2.3 billion from Treasury so that Ukraine does not have to rely on bonded financing from China or other sources.

In this context, it is also emphasized that the United States aims to support the global opposition to Russia’s war, as well as to provide a credible alternative to China's coercive lending and infrastructure projects for developing countries. To this end, the White House is also asking Congress to allocate $3.3 billion to support World Bank programs, as well as provide loans to implement IMF programs.

"Additionally, the Administration is requesting $200 million to counter the destabilizing activities of Vagner and other Russian Malign Actors in African countries, which includes funding to bolster African countries’ democratic institutions and security," the letter added.

Another issue in need of critical funding is support for American communities across the country that have suffered losses from natural disasters caused by extreme weather conditions. In addition, the document calls for efforts to reduce the influx of illicit drugs across the U.S. border.

As Ukrinform reported, in December 2022, Congress approved a large-scale financing package to support Ukraine, as well as allies and partners, for over $40 billion. This financing allowed for ensuring the allocation of permanent tranches of military, economic, and humanitarian support to Ukraine, as well as to strengthen NATO's military presence in Eastern Europe.