Speaker Johnson proposes to allocate US$61 billion to aid Ukraine and provide it with ATACMS

Mike Johnson. Photo: Getty Images

The bill on supplementary funding for Ukraine, prepared by Mike Johnson, Speaker of the US House of Representatives, suggests allocating US$61 billion and supplying Ukraine with long-range ATACMS missiles as soon as possible.

Source: European Pravda with reference to the text of the document

Details: The bill provides for the allocation of almost US$28 billion for all operations related to US military aid for Ukraine.

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• Out of them, almost US$13.8 billion will be spent on the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative programme by 30 September 2025, under which the Pentagon signs contracts with American defence companies to supply Kyiv with new armament and equipment.
• A bit more than US$13.4 billion can be used for replacement and repair of the armament provided for Ukraine, as well as for training Ukrainian soldiers. 
• Additionally, the Johnson project includes US$1.6 billion in Foreign Military Financing, which provides grants for the purchase of weapons from manufacturers.

A separate provision of the bill stipulates that Joe Biden’s administration must supply Ukraine with long-range ATACMS missiles “as soon as practicable“. Biden can postpone this decision, if it would be “detrimental to the national security interests of the United States”.

Concerning economic aid, the bill provides for the allocation of US$7.85 billion in the form of loans by 30 September 2025. 

• The conditions for spending these funds include a ban on pension payment.
• At the same time, after November 2025, Biden will be able to write off 50% of the debt on these loans, and starting 1 January 2026 – 100% of the debt, if this decision is supported by Congress.

Johnson’s bill contains a number of demands for Biden’s administration concerning accounting.

• Within 30 days after adopting the bill, the administration must provide Congress with reports on all weapons and related funding provided by the US to Ukraine since 24 February 2022. And within 60 days, a report on how the weapons’ management has been controlled.
• In addition, within 45 days the Biden’s administration must provide US Congress with “the strategy regarding United States support for Ukraine”, which must be long-term and contain a list of “specific objectives” that the administration strives to achieve.

Background: Voting for this bill is expected in the House of Representatives on 20 April. If it is adopted, it must be approved by the Senate and signed by President Joe Biden. 

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