Parliament has no doubt that US will approve money for military support of Ukraine
Pravda Ukraine
Oleksandra Ustinova, head of the Holos Party faction in the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament), has no doubt that the US Congress will approve funds for military support for Ukraine, albeit with a delay. In contrast, the preservation of financial injections into Ukraine’s budget is still in question.
Source: Ustinova in an interview with European Pravda
Details: “The situation now can be described as not too precarious. Because there will be financial aid, but unfortunately it will come later than we expected,” said Ustinova.
According to Ustinova, much worse would have been the adoption of a proposal for a US$11-12 billion aid package in September; since then, the money would have run out in February, and the new assistance at the height of the election campaign could not have been approved.
“And now, despite the fact that we had two months of postponement, a package of US$62 billion has been put up for discussion, and this is very good,” the lawmaker said.
According to Ustinova, senators and congressmen promise that immediately after Thanksgiving (that is, next week), the Senate will vote on this package, send it to the House of Representatives and the vote on it will happen by mid-December.
At the same time, Ustinova expects that there will be amendments made to the financing package, and “it is key for us that after those amendments, direct budget assistance will be preserved”.
“There is no discussion about whether Ukraine should be given weapons. But there is a discussion about whether to continue direct injections into the budget. But if it does not continue, then we will have a very serious problem, because the funds will have to be taken from the army and from the purchase of weapons,” the lawmaker said.
According to Ustinova, now the Ukrainian authorities are convincing congressmen and senators that budget assistance should remain for this year.
“We told them directly: if you want, get rid of the humanitarian aid (most of which still goes to neighbouring countries). Because it is critical for us to fight now and keep the budget, because in fact, budget assistance is also financing the war,” she said.
Background:
- Earlier, Lloyd Austin, US Secretary of Defense, stated that the US Defense Department would continue working to adopt additional financing for Kyiv’s defence and other needs in the US Congress.
- The Biden administration still has about five billion dollars of the military aid budget approved by Congress last year from US stockpiles.
- US President Joe Biden is trying to convince the US Congress to support aid to both Ukraine and Israel and to approve a new US$106 billion aid package, which includes more than US$61 billion in funding for aid to Ukraine.
- Leaders of the US Congress hope to mobilise the voices for additional aid for Ukraine and Israel, as well as for the improvement of the immigration system, by Christmas.
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