Senator: Biden could seek over USD 10B for Ukraine, allies

Washington, Feb 26 (AP): The Biden administration is expected to ask Congress for a spending package that could significantly exceed USD 10 billion for the .

Senator: Biden could seek over USD 10B for Ukraine, allies

Washington, Feb 26 (AP): The Biden administration is expected to ask Congress for a spending package that could significantly exceed USD 10 billion for the U.S. response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a leading Democratic senator said.

The estimate by Sen. Chris Coons, chairman of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee that controls foreign aid and State Department expenditures, provided an initial look at the costs American taxpayers could bear as a result of Russia's attack on its western neighbour.

Coons, D-Del., told reporters on Friday that he is expecting the request to cover the costs of helping millions of Ukrainian refugees who could flee to Poland and nearby NATO countries, supporting those nations' armed forces and training and supplying the Ukrainian resistance.

He said the money would also cover the expenses of monitoring and enforcing U.S. sanctions against Russia and for the Pentagon's bills for deploying the 7,000 additional American troops that President Joe Biden has ordered be sent to Europe.

"I expect that there will be a supplemental request well above USD 10 billion," Coons told reporters, calling it "an initial guess." Coons said he believed the spending request would get strong bipartisan support. Spokespersons for top Republican budget writers did not immediately return requests for comment.

Coons spoke after returning from an extended trip to Germany, Poland and Lithuania, where he and other members of Congress discussed the crisis with European leaders.

Biden is scheduled to address the invasion during his State of the Union address to Congress on Tuesday.

Lawmakers, returning from a recess, are also expected to focus next week on writing bipartisan legislation financing federal agencies for the rest of this year. Lawmakers hope to approve that bill by March 11, when money temporarily funding government will run out.

It was initially unclear whether the Ukraine money would be part of that broader budget legislation, if not how quickly it would move and whether lawmakers would attempt to attach additional U.S. sanctions against Russia. (AP) DIV DIV

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