Biden signs bill: US to provide $ 13 billion in defense assistance to Ukraine

A huge bill signed by US President Joe Biden on Tuesday envisions a one-time increase in $ 13.6 billion in military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine against the Russian invasion.

The amount of money included in the legislation for Ukraine was increased during the last minute negotiations, from the 10 billion dollars that the White House had requested at the beginning of the month.

Ukraine’s aid is attached to a credit law that sets spending limits for the federal government for fiscal year 2022, which began in October.

The 2,741-page text was released last week, and Congress passed the bill before Friday, avoiding government blockade.

How Ukraine’s aid will be spent

Military assistance: About $ 6.5 billion, about half of the aid package, will be allocated to the US Department of Defense to be able to deploy troops to the region and send defense equipment to Ukraine, according to a summary of the bill passed by its Credit Committee. Parliament.

The United States has deployed thousands of troops across Europe, both before and during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. But the deployment of troops on the ground in Ukraine, which is not a member of NATO, is a line that the US and its Western allies were unwilling to cross.

Humanitarian aid: More than $ 4 billion will provide humanitarian assistance to refugees fleeing Ukraine and internally displaced persons in Ukraine, as well as emergency food aid, health care and emergency assistance to vulnerable communities within the region, according to a news release issued by the Commission. Credits of Parliament.

Financial Aid: The package will offer nearly $ 1.8 billion to help meet economic needs in Ukraine and neighboring countries, such as cybersecurity and energy issues.

The bill also requires $ 25 million for the U.S. Global Media Service, an independent federal agency, to combat misinformation on news broadcasts abroad. Another $ 120 million will help support local activists and journalists in Ukraine, and promote a line to hold Russians accountable for human rights abuses.

Source: Capital

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