On Monday, the Biden administration declared in separate announcements that it would provide $5.5 billion more in combined foreign aid and military weaponry to the wartorn nation of Ukraine as it continues to fight Russia’s invasion.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced on Monday that it would send another $4.5 billion worth of taxpayers’ money to the Eastern European country in order to help the Ukrainian government function and provide social services for its people. Shortly after that announcement, the Pentagon stated that it would also provide an additional $1 billion worth of “security assistance” to Ukraine.
In an exclusive report, Reuters announced that USAID would initially send a $3 billion payout to the country beginning in August. With the latest announcement, USAID has now sent more than $8.5 billion to Ukraine since Russia invaded in late February.
“The United States remains committed to supporting Ukraine and its people in the wake of Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war,” USAID said in a statement provided to Reuters.
On Monday, the Department of Defense (DOD) announced that President Joe Biden had declared the “authorization of a Presidential Drawdown of security assistance valued at up to $1 billion to meet Ukraine’s critical security and defense needs.”
“It is the largest single drawdown of U.S. arms and equipment utilizing this authority, and this package provides a significant amount of additional ammunition, weapons, and equipment – the types of which the Ukrainian people are using so effectively to defend their country,” the DOD added.
In total, the Biden administration has sent $9.8 billion in military support to Ukraine since Biden took office, according to the Pentagon.
Last Monday, the Biden administration announced it was sending another round of support worth $550 million to Ukraine.
USAID administrator Samantha Power has previously said that while Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “assault on Ukraine’s public services continues, the United States is rushing in with financial support to help the government keep the lights on, provide essential services to innocent citizens and pay the health care workers who are providing lifesaving support on the frontlines.”
For his part, Biden has maintained that the U.S. will continue to support Ukraine through various measures indefinitely to help defeat Russia.
“We are going to support Ukraine as long as it takes,” Biden told reporters when asked about the future of America’s commitment to Ukraine in late June.
Source: Dailywire
