Biden Asks for $40 Billion in Emergency Aid to Ukraine

REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo

Joe Biden is now asking Congress for an extra $37 billion in funding emergency aid to Ukraine and $10 billion for pandemic relief to prepare for the winter surge.

In mid-December, Government funding will expire, so this request will include aid for Ukraine and Covid to last until the end of September 2023.

“Together, with strong, bipartisan support in the Congress, we have provided significant assistance that has been critical to Ukraine’s success on the battlefield– and we cannot let that support run dry,” said Shalanda Young, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, in a letter to Nancy Pelosi, House Speaker.

According to administration officials, roughly three-quarters of the approved previous funding has already been spent. This new proposal will include $14.5 billion in humanitarian aid for the Ukrainian Government, $21.7 billion for defense support including military and intelligence, $900 million for health care services for Ukrainians in the U.S., and $626 million for nuclear security support to Ukraine.

Due to the change of course in the coronavirus, the requested funding is much lower than what is being asked for Ukraine. Biden has asked for $5 billion for the development of vaccines, $2.5 billion for therapeutics and vaccines, $1 billion for international purposes to combat the virus and $750 million to support COVID research. $400 million for smallpox vaccines that will also be used for monkeypox, and $350 million for HIV prevention.

Last month in a response to critical remarks Biden stated, “These guys don’t get it. It’s a lot bigger than Ukraine…”

Congressional Republicans had suggested prior to midterm elections that aid to Ukraine would be cut if they retake the House of Representatives. A lot of Republicans have been against the large amounts of funding that Ukraine has been receiving and feel that Joe Biden is neglecting his own nation. Congresswoman Majorie Taylor said “not another penny will go to Ukraine.

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