U.S. Senate Backs Nearly $1 Billion in Military Aid for Ukraine in 2026 Defense Budget
фото: Генштаб
The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee has approved a defense budget that includes nearly $1 billion in assistance to Ukraine, defying the Trump administration’s proposal to eliminate the funding. The package will support Ukraine’s military with weapons, equipment, intelligence, and training as the country continues to defend itself against Russia’s full-scale invasion.
This is reported by Reuters.
The Senate Appropriations Committee has approved the draft U.S. defense budget for fiscal year 2026, totaling $852 billion. This is $21.7 billion—or 2.6%—more than the Trump administration had requested.
The legislation includes $800 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), along with an additional $225 million under the Baltic Security Initiative, a significant portion of which is also allocated to Ukraine. In total, the aid for Ukraine amounts to nearly $1 billion.
Although the Trump administration’s initial proposal and the House version of the defense bill excluded funding for USAI, senators from both parties pushed to preserve support for Ukraine.
Mitch McConnell, chairman of the Defense Subcommittee, emphasized that the United States is “learning alongside Ukraine,” and that abandoning this cooperation would weaken the American military’s preparedness for modern warfare.
Democratic Senator Chris Coons also stressed that supporting Ukraine is not only politically important but also vital for advancing military technology, particularly in the development of drones, which have become a crucial element in Ukraine’s defense against Russia.
To become law, the bill must pass the full Senate, be reconciled with the House version, and then be sent to the president for signature. If passed, Trump will have the option to sign the bill or issue a veto.
By the way, on July 8, the United States decided to resume military assistance to Ukraine, in particular, to provide a new batch of defensive weapons.
As a reminder, the United States of America temporarily suspended the supply of some anti-aircraft missiles and precision-guided munitions to Ukraine due to concerns about the level of its defense reserves.
As reported, after reports of the suspension of the supply of some military aid to Ukraine, the Pentagon assures that Washington continues to work on solutions. In addition, the US State Department assured that they did not stop all arms supplies to Ukraine, and the Pentagon’s decision made the day before is just one situation.
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