Biden’s proposal comprises more than USD 20 billion in military aid, including artillery, anti-tank weapons and other hardware; USD 8.5 billion in economic aid; and USD 3 billion in humanitarian aid, news outlets reported.
Dramatic escalation of US funding for Ukraine
The new plan, unveiled on Thursday, would see the United States spending as much on helping Ukraine this year as it used to spend annually on its own war in Afghanistan, according to The New York Times.
“The cost of this fight is not cheap,” Biden said at the White House. “But caving to aggression is going to be more costly if we allow it to happen,” he added.
Biden urged lawmakers to approve the deal, saying: “We either back the Ukrainian people as they defend their country or we stand by as the Russians continue their atrocities and aggression in Ukraine.”
‘A very important step’: Zelensky
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Biden for “a very important step,” adding in a night-time video address: “I hope that Congress will quickly approve this request for help to our state."
Biden also asked Congress for more powers to seize the assets of Kremlin-linked Russian oligarchs and use the proceeds to support Ukraine, the NYT reported.
Friday is day 65 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
(pm/gs)
Source: nytimes.com, bbc.com, Reuters, ukrinform.net