The funding pitch includes $16 billion to backfill US stocks depleted by deliveries of weapons to Kiev and $8 billion to pay US arms producers for contracts in support of the Ukrainian military, the news outlet said, calling Biden's bid a "long shot".
The report is based on a document produced by the White House Office of Management and Budget, which was sent to lawmakers on Monday, according to Politico's sources on Capitol Hill.
The Biden administration previously vowed to spend every dollar already approved for Ukraine before the president leaves office on January 20. Last week, he also wrote off some $4.7 billion in forgivable loans given to Kiev. The money was part of a tranche approved by Congress in April, with $9.4 billion provided as a "loan" to appease lawmakers, who opposed continued funding of the Ukraine conflict.
Comment: So the lawmakers accepted the deal when they heard that it was going to be a loan and then the Biden administration conveniently forgives the loan. Just goes to show that you can't trust agreements made with such people.
President-elect Donald Trump claimed during the election campaign that he would end the Ukraine conflict in 24 hours if voters grant him a new term in office. Some of his allies have accused the "lame duck" Biden of trying to corner the next administration into a continued conflict with Russia.
Republican Senator Mike Lee reacted negatively to the new funding request from the White House, especially as it came days after Biden's unilateral move on the loan.
"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," he wrote on X.
Elon Musk, a key Trump supporter, who will lead an effort to reduce government waste in the incoming administration, has called the request "not ok" and said the money would be "funding the forever war," if lawmakers authorize the spending.
On average, the Russian army uses up an amount of systems / ammunition in a day the US produces in a whole year. The US has neither the capability nor the willingness to switch to a war-time production. Because it is lacking the production facilities, capable staff, and most of all the willingness and dedication of "defense" contractors, as this would reduce profits.
OTOH a strategic defeat of the Ukraine and thus Nato would be the end of US hegemony.
They know it, and the window of opportunity they perceive is short - try to force the Russians to back down before the bottom of the barrel is reached, even if that risks nuclear war.
The problem is, this opportunity does not really exist. True is, it gets only worse.