- President Joe Biden called on Congress to approve an additional $33 billion in aid to Ukraine, including military aid, as soon as possible.
- "I urge Congress to urgently approve this funding to help Ukraine continue to face Russian aggression successfully," Biden said in a statement.
- Biden asked Congress last week for $33 billion in additional military, economic and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.
Biden asks Congress for $33 billion to "support Ukraine"
President Joe Biden on Thursday asked Congress for $33 billion in "additional emergency aid" to Ukraine.
The request, which is more than double the size of the $13.6 billion package approved by lawmakers and signed by Biden last month, underscores how the United States and its allies are preparing for an ongoing conflict in Ukraine, both economically and politically.
"The cost of failing to confront violent aggression in Europe has always been higher than the cost of withstanding such attacks," Biden wrote in a letter accompanying the request.
"This is what it has always been, and as always.. America must confront this moment and do its part ".
A senior U.S. official said Thursday that Biden would ask Congress to allocate an additional $33 billion to Ukraine's war, including 20 billion in military aid.
The official said that this enormous "military and security assistance" included the provision of "weapons and ammunition to the Ukrainian people".
An administration official, speaking in detail about the package on condition of anonymity prior to its official release, said the funding was expected to last for at least five months.
The United States has provided more than $3 billion in weapons to Ukraine since Russia's military operation began on February 24, and the White House is seeking sufficient funding from Congress to be able to extend that assistance until October.
On 13 this month, Biden announced new military aid including $800 million worth of heavy equipment to Ukraine.
According to a recently published White House regulation, the United States supplied or promised to supply Ukraine with 1,400 Stinger air defence systems, 5,000 anti-armour missiles (Javelin), 7,000 anti-armour weapons of another type and hundreds of suicidal drones.
The regulation also included the 7 of thousands of combat rifles, 50 million bullets, various ammunition, 45,000 bulletproof vests, helmets, laser missiles and Puma marches, as well as anti-artillery radars, drones, light armourers and secure communication systems.
The equipment also includes the "Howitzer M 777" artillery, the most recent generation of artillery pieces used until recently by the United States Army in Afghanistan, the "ANN-TP Kyu36" anti-artillery radars and the "Santinel" anti-aircraft radars.
Biden launches initiative to use confiscated Russian funds for Ukraine
The White House has announced that US President Joe Biden is introducing a new initiative to facilitate the confiscation of the assets of businessmen who are associated with Russia's government for subsequent use in support of Ukraine.
The White House said in a statement released on Thursday that, as part of its request to Congress for further support to Ukraine, Biden is today putting forward proposals for a "comprehensive legislative initiative expanding the powers of the United States government to prosecute the Russian government and businessmen over the war being fought by President Vladimir Putin against Ukraine."
The White House explained that these proposals, prepared in close coordination with the Treasury, Justice, Foreign Affairs, Trade and other stakeholders, "will establish new powers regarding the confiscation of property associated with the Russian kleptocracy that will allow the U.S. government to use these funds to support Ukraine and will strengthen the relevant law enforcement tools."
This initiative includes the establishment of an "easy administrative process" with the participation of the said ministries for the confiscation of the assets of Russian businessmen on the United States Sanctions Regulation and the expansion of the list of assets subject to confiscation in the United States and enabling the reallocation of these funds to Ukraine.
The initiative specifically criminalizes "deliberate and intentional profits by anyone through corrupt dealings with the Russian Government".
According to the statement, the United States Treasury, Justice and Foreign Affairs Ministries will, according to the initiative, use these confiscated funds related to "corruption, sanctions, violation of the export tracking system and other irregularities" to "compensate for the damage caused by the Russian aggression against Ukraine".
The initiative includes, in particular, intensifying efforts to combat the circumvention of Russia's sanctions, ensuring the confiscation of assets used by Russian businessmen to facilitate the circumvention of sanctions.
The statement also noted that the new initiative provided for an extension of the period set for the follow-up of funds, which would enhance the United States' capacity to combat money launderers for offences committed abroad.
The initiative also requires the use of the capabilities of United States partners to freeze and confiscate Russian business assets and strengthen Washington's ability to cooperate with its international partners in "recovering assets linked to corruption abroad".
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