Biden administration seeks $11.7 billion in aid for Ukraine

The White House will ask Congress to provide additional aid for Ukraine in the fiscal year that begins October 1, as officials warn that earlier monies are running out with the effort to combat Russia’s invasion now past its six-month mark.

The administration is seeking $11.7 billion in security and economic assistance for Ukraine in the first quarter of fiscal 2023, along with $2 billion aimed at helping to prevent domestic energy costs from going up as Russian President Vladimir Putin squeezes supplies, Bloomberg reports.

The Ukraine-related funds are urgently needed, an administration official told reporters on September 2 in a call detailing the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) priorities. President Joe Biden in May signed legislation providing $40 billion in aid to Ukraine. But those funds were only intended to last through September.

“To date, roughly three-quarters of the direct military and budgetary support that Congress previously provided for Ukraine has been disbursed or committed, with even more expected by the end of the fiscal year,” OMB said in a release.

The funding request for the first quarter of the fiscal year 2023 will seek $7.2 billion for the Defense Department. Of those funds, $4.5 billion will be for equipment for Ukraine and to replenish the Pentagon’s stocks, with $2.7 billion for other military, intelligence, and defence support. The White House is seeking $4.5 billion for the State Department and USAID to continue support for Ukraine’s government.