New U.S. funding won't be a part of Ukrainian budget
Additional US financial assistance to Ukraine in the amount of $190 million will not be directed to the state budget. These funds are intended for implementation of the reforms in the judicial and law enforcement spheres, the U.S. officials accompanying the Vice President, Joseph Biden, said on Monday during his visit to Kiev.
According to them, the $190 million in new funding is to be used to carry out programs aimed at improving law enforcement support and making judicial and democratic reforms; not to be transferred to the budget. Officials said that it is not part of the $300 million that the U.S. Congress had already authorized to spend on military support for Ukraine.
Biden discussed the new funding at a joint press conference with the President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko. "Today I speak about new aid in the amount of $190 million for progress. This is now $760 million in direct support since the change of Ukrainian government in 2014, including $260 million invested in security," said the U.S. Vice President.
However, Biden urged Ukraine to fulfill its obligations to the International Monetary Fund in order to continue to receive its financial support. "This requires difficult political decisions from the President and the Verkhovna Rada," the Vice-President said and promised that in this scenario the U.S. would be an "ally of Ukraine in the IMF."