US Congress approved a defense budget: it provides assistance to Ukraine

Part of the funds for Ukraine, laid down in the US defense budget, can be directed to lethal aid, writes "Voice of America".

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The US House of Representatives on Tuesday, December 8, overwhelmingly supported the US $ 2021 billion defense budget bill for 740. 335 legislators voted for its adoption, 78 against, the Ukrainian service of Radio Liberty reported.

The project envisages, in particular, providing Ukraine with $ 250 million to support and assist the country's Armed Forces.

The document includes provisions on strengthening sanctions against companies involved in insurance and licensing of the Nord Stream 2 and Turkish Stream gas pipeline projects.

The Senate is expected to vote on the defense budget this week. It must then be approved by President Donald Trump.

From the amount allocated for Ukraine, it is planned to send $ 75 million for lethal aid. The bill expands the powers of the US authorities to support Ukraine in containing Russia, the document notes.

The text also requires a full assessment of Ukraine's combat capability, its capabilities to defend its sovereignty from Russian aggression, as well as an assessment of the resource plan of assistance to Ukraine in this sector.

"Among the measures to contain Russian aggression, the bill leaves in force restrictions on defense cooperation with Russia, provides for the expansion of sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 gas transit project, as well as the" mandatory imposition of sanctions "against Turkey for the purchase of the Russian S-400 missile system, says in the statement to the bill, reports Radio Liberty.

Ukrainian diplomats in December 2020 noted that the adopted bill "provides for the expansion of the list of defense goods that can be purchased for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine." Representatives of the Ukrainian Embassy in the United States emphasized that the country knows from its own experience that “such decisions strengthen Euro-Atlantic stability and security, help maintain a morale for those who physically defend the country from aggression”.

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Sanctions can be extended

Political analyst Olesya Yakhno-Belkovskaya believes that the United States can expand sanctions against Russia, thereby increasing support for Ukraine's defense security.

“The relations between the two countries can be assessed in a positive way. The very fact is in a slightly different approach of the emerging administration of Joe Biden, judging by his statements, in matters of global security. If Trump advocated reducing the role of the United States in NATO and reducing costs, spoke of the need to increase funding from the EU, was going to withdraw the contingent from Germany and transfer it to Poland, then Biden's position will be aimed at maintaining the global role of the United States in the security sphere, and this in favor of Ukraine, "said Olesya Yakhno-Belkovskaya in a conversation with a correspondent for the Russian service of the Voice of America.

The political scientist believes that we can talk not only about the development of sanctions present in the defense budget in relation to Nord Stream 2, but it can also be new laws in new areas of counteraction to Russia.

“These sanctions are likely to complicate Russia's banking and energy operations. It cannot be ruled out that at some stage the issue of sanctions against Russia as a country that can support terrorism will arise, ”Yakhno-Belkovskaya notes.

According to her, Ukrainian realities are the fight against corruption, issues in the security sector are well known to Joe Biden and representatives of his team.

“Therefore, assistance in these areas for Ukraine can be greater, as well as in the sector of strengthening the country's security. The question is, will the Ukrainian government take advantage of this support, will it accurately formulate exactly what is necessary for the country and fulfill its obligations? " - the expert notes.

Finance and reform assistance

Pavel Zhovnirenko, Chairman of the Board of the Center for Strategic Studies, notes the need to strengthen the role of the United States in the process of resolving problems between Ukraine and Russia.

“If combined, then not only financial assistance, but also assistance in the reorganization of the security sector in order to reform our conservative military system. It is also necessary to influence Russia as a violator of international law: the UN Charter, the Budapest Memorandum and all documents related to the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, ”Zhovnirenko emphasizes.

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The Armed Forces of Ukraine need not only to be modernized and strengthened with new weapons, but also to carry out reforms similar to those taking place in other sectors.

“We need a new system of relationships directly in the army with new functions. The army system itself must radically move away from Soviet patterns. Until now, this has not been done, and we hope here for the help of the USA. The unreformed Armed Forces are akin to unreformed Ukraine - they have been talking about corruption for decades, the leadership of the country is changing, there are constant scandals, but there is no solution to these problems, "the interlocutor of the Voice of America Russian Service emphasizes.

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