Biden to ask Congress for USD 60 billion to help Ukraine

This is reported by NBC News.

Congressional lawmakers have received the first detailed information on the new funding package that the Biden administration is expected to deliver to Congress this week.

Although it has not yet been finalized, it is likely that the US president will request USD 60 billion to help Ukraine. This was confirmed by three sources familiar with the request. The remainder of the request will include about USD 40 billion to be spent on aid to Israel, Taiwan, and on securing the US-Mexico border.

The total request for additional funding, which is expected to be submitted for the fiscal year ending next September, will be about USD 100 billion dollars, according to four sources directly involved in the process.

What is known about the controversy in the US Congress over aid to Ukraine

On October 1, US President Joe Biden signed a bill to temporarily fund the government until November 17, which had been approved the day before by the US Senate and House of Representatives. He also called on congressional Republicans to support a bill to provide additional assistance to Ukraine, saying he was "tired" of the constant bickering that nearly led to a government shutdown.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that despite the absence of a decision in the US Congress on aid to Ukraine amid a possible shutdown, US support for Ukraine has not weakened.

The US Congress did not include new funding for assistance to Ukraine in the law on the temporary budget. In addition, the House of Representatives dismissed Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who supported military aid to Ukraine.

The Pentagon has already warned Congress of possible problems with the supply of weapons to Ukraine. According to Politico, Biden's team is looking for alternative ways to fund aid to Ukraine.

On October 7, another publication, The Telegraph, reported that Biden was going to ask Congress for a USD 100 billion aid package for Ukraine. In addition, US Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth said that in order to effectively help Israel and Ukraine at the same time, the Pentagon would need additional funding from the US Congress. Later, it was reported that the White House was discussing the possibility of combining military aid to Ukraine and Israel into one package, which would make it easier and faster to implement both decisions.

The WSJ notes that the US Congress is discussing a USD 60-100 billion aid package for Ukraine. US senators from both parties want to pass an annual aid package for Ukraine in the coming weeks.

NBC News, citing its own sources, reports that representatives of the Biden administration have privately told members of Congress that the White House is preparing a request for additional funding for Israel, Ukraine, Taiwan, and border security.

Israel has asked the United States for USD 10 billion in emergency military aid.