US$50 billion of American aid to be spent on defence – Ukraine’s PM

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. Stock photo: Getty Images

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has said that if the Senate approves the Ukraine aid bill, US$49.9 billion of the almost US$61 billion total will go towards defence spending.

Source: Denys Shmyhal on Facebook

Quote: “The total amount of aid is almost US$61 billion:

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• US$49.9 billion – defenсe spending
• US$7.8 billion – potential budget support
• US$1.57 billion – economic assistance
• US$400 million – funds for border protection and humanitarian mine clearance.”

Details: Shmyhal stressed that Ukraine expects the bill to be approved in the Senate in the coming days.

“Its implementation will mean more weapons for Ukraine, particularly long-range weapons and air defence systems; strengthening of macro-financial stability, including funding for the highest-priority budget expenditure items; [and] continuation of rapid reconstruction, primarily of critical infrastructure,” Shmyhal added.

Background: 

• On 20 April, the US House of Representatives approved a bill to provide about $61 billion in military aid for Ukraine.
• In total, the US$95 billion package provides security assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. 
• The US House of Representatives also voted in favour of a bill that would see the expansion of sanctions against Russia and allow Russian assets to be confiscated in favour of Ukraine.
• US President Joe Biden has urged the Senate to approve the aid for Ukraine and “quickly send this package to my desk so that I can sign it into law, and we can quickly send weapons and equipment to Ukraine to meet their urgent battlefield needs”.

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