Biden strengthens aid to Ukraine by signing a law with $13.6 billion

Washington, 15 Mar US President Joe Biden signed a law on Tuesday that includes $13.6 billion in aid to Ukraine and promised that tomorrow, Wednesday, he will give more details on how such assistance can “alleviate suffering” in the country. At an event at the White House, Biden signed a large $1.5 trillion spending package approved last week by both houses of Congress, containing the aforementioned amount of humanitarian and military assistance to Ukraine and Eastern Europe, following the Russian invasion. “We have acted urgently to further increase support for the brave people of Ukraine in their defense of their country,” the US president defended. He added that tomorrow he will elaborate on “what exactly is it doing in Ukraine” the United States, and how the new funds will allow it to “rapidly intensify its response and help alleviate the suffering that the war” is causing to the Ukrainian people. It is precisely on Wednesday that Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelensky is scheduled to speak in virtually both houses of the US Congress, on the second time he addresses US legislators in less than a month. White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki acknowledged at her daily press conference that Zelenski is likely to “ask for more money” to deal with the Russian invasion during that speech to Congress. Of the 13.6 billion newly approved for Ukraine, almost half, 6.5 billion, will go to the Department of Defense so that it can maintain its military operations in NATO countries of eastern Europe, as well as to send military material to the country, according to a draft law. The provision for Ukraine also includes some 4 billion to assist refugees and internally displaced persons, while 1.8 billion will aim to meet the economic needs of Ukraine and its neighbouring countries, for example with energy or cybersecurity issues. In addition, 25 million will go to techniques to combat disinformation and 120 million will go to the American Agency for International Development (Usaid) to help activists and independent media. In total, the $1.5 trillion budget package includes $782 billion for defence expenditures, an increase of 5.6 per cent over the previous year; and another $730,000 for funding national needs in the United States. The measure includes funds for the re-entry into force of a law against gender violence known by its acronym in English, VAWA, which for decades served to fund aid programs for victims of abuse and sexual abuse, as well as providing them with an avenue to seek justice in the courts. That law dates back to 1994 and was regularly endorsed by Congress, until the Conservatives let it expire in 2019. In addition, 400 million are included for so-called Pell Grants for low-income university students, along with 1 billion for cancer research and funds for Puerto Rico's social programs.