Tag: Economic Aid

Lawmakers Looking to Pass $50 Billion in New Ukraine Aid Before Next Congress

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

Lawmakers Looking to Pass $50 Billion in New Ukraine Aid Before Next Congress

NBC News reported Thursday that the bipartisan idea under consideration would be to pass a bill for Ukraine aid that could cover an entire year during the lame-duck period. The bill is expected to be worth roughly $50 billion, which would bring total US spending on the war to over $115 billion.

Ukraine Passes 2023 Budget in Secret, Expects US To Cover Deficit

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

Ukraine Passes 2023 Budget in Secret, Expects US To Cover Deficit

Last month, Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal noted the government expected a $38 billion deficit. He said the US would provide $18 billion and the European Union and International Monetary Fund would combine to give $12 billion.

Over the past seven months, the White House has spent nearly $70 billion on the war in Ukraine. The US spending on the war includes direct assistance to fund the government in Kiev and weapons transfers.

Western aid to Ukraine is announced almost daily. On Thursday, USAID announced $55 million in assistance for Kiev. On Friday, The IMF approved $1.3 billion in additional emergency funding for Ukraine.

Biden Details New $625 Million Arms Package for Ukraine in Zelensky Call

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

Biden Details New $625 Million Arms Package for Ukraine in Zelensky Call

The new $625 million package is being provided through the presidential drawdown authority, which allows Biden to send arms to Ukraine directly from US military stockpiles. A stopgap funding bill President Biden signed into law last week included $3.7 billion for this authority. It also included $12.3 billion for other military and economic aid for Ukraine, bringing total US spending on the war to about $67.5 billion, a number that’s higher than Russia’s entire military budget for 2021.

New $1.1 Billion Arms Package for Ukraine Includes 18 HIMARS Launchers, as The U.S. and Europe are running out of weapons to send to Ukraine

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

New $1.1 Billion Arms Package for Ukraine Includes 18 HIMARS Launchers

The HIMARS that the US has been sending to Ukraine are equipped with missiles that have a range of about 50 miles. But that can change, and Kyiv is requesting Army Tactical Missile Systems, which have a range of 190 miles, but Washington has been hesitant to send the longer-range missiles. Russia has warned that providing such arms would cross a “red line.”

Related:

The U.S. and Europe are running out of weapons to send to Ukraine

In the U.S. weapons industry, the normal production level for artillery rounds for the 155 millimeter howitzer — a long-range heavy artillery weapon currently used on the battlefields of Ukraine — is about 30,000 rounds per year in peacetime.

The Ukrainian soldiers fighting invading Russian forces go through that amount in roughly two weeks.

…

Is the U.S. ability to defend itself at risk?

The short answer: no.

…

The U.S. has essentially run out of the 155 mm howitzers [M777?] to give to Ukraine; to send any more, it would have to dip into its own stocks reserved for U.S. military units that use them for training and readiness. But that’s a no-go for the Pentagon, military analysts say, meaning the supplies reserved for U.S. operations are highly unlikely to be affected.

Source: CSIS.

Slava Slush Fund: despite economic crisis, Congress readies $12 billion more for Ukraine + More

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

U.S. has now allocated over $80 billion to Kiev.

Sure, financial markets and national currencies are imploding worldwide, but the military industrial regime needs to keep churning, and that means pumping more money into the Slava Slush Fund.

Slava Slush Fund: despite economic crisis, Congress readies $12 billion more for Ukraine

Related:

There’s no debating it: Biden will get billions in new Ukraine aid

“Oversight of Ukraine aid is sorely needed,” Julia Gledhill, a defense analyst for the Project on Government Oversight (POGO), tells Responsible Statecraft. “The State and Defense departments are handling billions of dollars in Ukraine funding, but neither have permanent inspectors general in place to investigate and prevent abuse of funds.”

Senate advances spending bill for Ukraine with $12 Billion

After the Senate invoked cloture for the legislative vehicle to carry out the CR, it will now be up for a full vote by the Senate. The House will next vote on it, likely on Friday.

Report: US Preparing $1.1 Billion Arms Package for Ukraine

The weapons package will likely include HIMARS rocket systems, HIMARS ammunition, counter-drone systems, radar systems, training, and technical support.

The arms package is expected to be provided to Kyiv using the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) as opposed to sending the arms directly from US military stockpiles. The USAI allows the Biden administration to purchase military equipment for Ukraine from the US arms industry.

Zelensky Told Americans That His Country Should Be More Important To Them Than Their Own

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

It’s understandable why people would be offended by a foreign leader telling them to place his country’s interests above their own and to not care about inflation. It’s beyond disrespectful after they’ve already suffered enough to help him. Zelensky isn’t ever happy, however, unless he hears about more wealth being redistributed from Americans to Ukrainians.

Zelensky Told Americans That His Country Should Be More Important To Them Than Their Own