Biden asks for additional USD24bn for Kiev


(MENAFN) President Joe Biden has quietly asked congress for an additional $24 billion in Ukraine-related funding, Politico reported on Tuesday. The funding request includes $16 billion to replenish US military stockpiles that have been depleted by shipments of weapons to Ukraine, as well as $8 billion to pay American arms manufacturers for contracts supporting Ukraine’s defense. The proposal, which was sent to lawmakers by the White House Office of Management and Budget, is being described as a "long shot," particularly as the administration nears the end of Biden's term.

This new funding request follows Biden’s previous commitment to use all of the funds already approved for Ukraine before his term ends on January 20. Last week, the administration also wrote off $4.7 billion in forgivable loans provided to Ukraine as part of a previous aid package. This move was part of a larger $9.4 billion tranche approved by Congress earlier in the year, with the remainder structured as a loan to appease some lawmakers who were skeptical about continued funding for the war.

Biden’s request comes at a time of political tension, particularly with President-elect Donald Trump, who has promised to end the Ukraine conflict within 24 hours if he is re-elected. Some Republican lawmakers, such as Senator Mike Lee, have reacted negatively to the new request, accusing Biden of attempting to entangle the incoming administration in an ongoing conflict with Russia. Lee specifically warned against granting Biden the funding, suggesting it would undermine Trump’s peace negotiations.

Elon Musk, a vocal Trump supporter, also expressed disapproval of the funding request, criticizing it as an effort to prolong the war in Ukraine. Musk argued that the additional spending would be a form of "funding the forever war," and emphasized the need to reduce government waste, a cause he plans to champion in the new administration.

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