American senators to hold classified briefing on aid to Ukraine

CNN reported the briefing citing a Senate aide.

The classified briefing comes as the Joe Biden administration seeks to provide Ukraine with an additional USD 37 billion in aid. The support could be folded into a year-end omnibus bill, which must be approved by December 16 to fund the government.

“It’s still uncertain whether the administration will get a deal on a giant omnibus package or have to settle on a stop-gap resolution to fund federal agencies at last year’s levels — something the Pentagon has warned against,” CNN writes.

According to a fact sheet published by CNN in November, the request for funding for Ukraine is spread across 4 US government departments.

CNN reported that funding would “ensure Ukraine has the funding, weapons, and support it needs to defend itself, and that vulnerable people continue to receive lifesaving aid," according to a letter Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young sent to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. 

The breakdown runs the following:

• $21.7 billion for the Department of Defense that will be spent on “equipment for Ukraine, replenishment of Department of Defense stocks, and for continued military, intelligence and other defense support.”

• $14.5 billion for the State Department for “direct budget support to Ukraine, critical war time investments, security assistance, to strengthen global food security, and for humanitarian assistance,”

• $626 million for the Department of Energy “for nuclear security support to Ukraine and for modernizing the Strategic Petroleum Reserve”

• $900 million for the Department of Health and Human Services “to provide standard assistance health care and support services to Ukrainian parolees.”