Biden secretly asks Congress to allocate additional US$24 billion for Ukraine – media

US President Joe Biden has called on Congress to provide an additional US$24 billion to strengthen military support for Ukraine.

According to New York Post with reference to Politico.Pro, the White House Office of Management and Budget proposed that this financial assistance be included in the package to avoid a funding freeze by the next presidential administration.

Out of the total amount of US$24 billion, US$8 billion has been earmarked to finance US companies' contracts to supply arms to Ukraine. Another US$16 billion will be used to replenish the US military arsenal.

However, some Republicans have already expressed their disagreement with this step, criticising the request.

"Joe Biden just gave away 4.7 billion in your taxpayer dollars by unilaterally ‘forgiving’ loans to Ukraine. Congress must not give him a free gift to further sabotage President Trump’s peace negotiations on the way out the door. Any Biden funding demands should be DOA [dead on arrival]," Senator Mike Lee of Utah wrote on X (Twitter).

The day before, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the United States would provide Ukraine with everything it needs to "fight through 2025".

On 20 November, the administration of US President Joe Biden submitted a statement of intent to Congress to cancel half of Ukraine's economic aid debt – approximately US$4.65 billion.