Updated US draft budget envisages $560 million for Ukraine
The consolidated bill on US budget appropriations for the 2017 fiscal year, presented in Congress, envisages an allocation of at least $560.465 million to support Ukraine, as stated on the draft Appropriation Act published on the official US Congress site.
“Of the funds appropriated by this Act under titles III and IV, not less than $410 million must be available for aid for Ukraine,” paragraph 7046 of the bill states.
Furthermore, paragraph 9014 indicates that from the US budget, $150 million will be allocated in the context of “aid initiatives for Ukraine in the area of security”.
At the same time, the legislative act condemns Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and its attempt to annex the Crimean peninsula. In particular, with respect to budget appropriations, the bill prohibits the allocation of any funds “for the implementation of any actions or policies which recognize Russia’s sovereignty over Crimea”. Furthermore, the possibility of allocating funds to Crimea is excluded, if the interests of Russian financial institutions or official representatives of the Russian government are involved.
The US budget for the 2017 fiscal year (which ends on September 30) has not yet been reviewed and has not been finally confirmed. After voting in both Houses of Congress, the document which will achieve legal status must be ratified by the US president.