Ukraine’s interests still found a place in the new US defense budget
12 December 2024 10:49
The US House of Representatives has passed the National Defense Authorization Act for 2025 (NDAA). The decision was supported by 281 congressmen, while 140 lawmakers (16 Republicans and 124 Democrats) voted against it. The next step is the approval of the law by the US Senate, which is expected next week. This was reported by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the United States Oksana Markarova on her Facebook page, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
She reminded that this year’s national defense appropriations bill approved by the Senate contained a provision to extend the term of the Ukraine Democracy Assistance Act, and the Embassy of Ukraine in the United States actively advocated for it, but the bill already approved by the House of Representatives did not have such a provision. The consolidated text of the bill also does not include this provision. Oksana Markarova emphasized that the Embassy will continue to work actively to preserve this mechanism, which is, in particular, provided for in the bipartisan and bicameral Stand with Ukraine Act.
However, Ukraine’s interests are still reflected in certain articles of the US National Defense Authorization Act for 2025, which was passed by the House of Representatives.
According to Oksana Markarova, the document contains the following main provisions regarding Ukraine:
– article 1303 extends the ban on the use of any funds for actions that could lead to the recognition of Russia’s sovereignty over the occupied regions of Ukraine;
– article 1534 instructs the US Secretary of Defense to explore the possibility of establishing a center of excellence to support the development and improvement of artificial intelligence-based weapons systems. Among the functions of such a center is to facilitate the Pentagon’s cooperation with foreign partners, including Ukraine, to identify best practices, guidelines, standards, and benchmarks.
– section 6411 instructs the Director of National Intelligence, the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of the Treasury to submit a report to the Senate and House Committees on Intelligence, Foreign Affairs, Armed Services, Judiciary, Finance, and Appropriations on the financing of acts of international terrorism by the Russian Federation. This report is unclassified, but may contain secret annexes.
The Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States also reminded that funding for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) for fiscal year 2025 was provided in last year’s NDAA in the amount of $300 million.
What has already been provided through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative
The latest security assistance package announced by the US Department of Defense on December 7 was provided through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI). This security assistance package includes an additional $988 million in aid.
Announcing this, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin reminded that this is the 22nd USAI package provided under the Biden administration. As a result, total U.S. security assistance to Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 has already amounted to more than $62 billion.
At the same time, he recalled that since April 2022, the United States has continued to build the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, a global network of about 50 partners committed to Ukraine’s immediate needs on the battlefield and its long-term ability to deter future aggression. He said that the Contact Group has convened 24 times, and its other members have provided more than $57 billion in direct security assistance to Ukraine.
