Biden Seeks $33B in Additional Aid for Ukraine
The president will also propose measures to hold the Russian government and the country's oligarchs accountable for the invasion of Ukraine.
A man hangs a Ukrainian flag outside a business in Lviv, Ukraine.
President Joe Biden asked Congress for $33 billion more in security, economic and humanitarian aid for Ukraine on Thursday as the European country's military and citizens continue to resist the Russian invasion. The request came as the White House prepares to propose legislation that'll hold Russian President Vladimir Putin's government and the country's oligarchs accountable for the war.
"The cost of his fight is not cheap, but caving to aggression is going to be more costly if we allow it to happen," the president said in an address at the White House. "Every day Ukrainians pay a price, and the price they pay is with their lives."
Of the funds requested, $20.4 billion would go to additional security and military assistance, $8.5 billion would go toward keeping the Ukrainian government functioning and countering Russian disinformation, and $3 billion in humanitarian assistance would support resources to address food supplies in countries affected by the war.
Last month, Congress pledged approximately $13.6 billion in aid to Ukraine as part of an omnibus spending bill. The push for more funding comes as Western nations send heavy weapons to support Ukrainian resistance, as noted by The New York Times,