US House Passes 2025 Defense Budget Without Ukraine Lend-Lease Extension
The US Congress passed a $895 billion defense budget for the next year. However, it did not include a provision to help Ukraine with military aid.
Ukraine’s Ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, said that Ukrainian diplomats had been working hard to get this extension. But the House of Representatives did not agree.
The US government had passed a law in 2022 called the Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act. It allowed the President to lend or lease military equipment to Ukraine quickly. However, it expired in September and has not been used yet.
Markarova said that Ukrainian diplomats would continue to work on getting this extension back. A group of US senators proposed extending it until 2026 earlier this year.
There are concerns about how much support the US will give to Ukraine in the future. The incoming President, Donald Trump, hinted that he might reduce aid to Ukraine.
The defense budget also did not include money for a program called the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI). This program helps supply arms to Ukraine through US companies.
However, the bill does include measures to help Ukraine. It bans using funds to recognize Russia’s control over parts of Ukraine and asks for a report on how Russia finances international terrorism.
The support for Ukraine might get harder as more Republicans are now in charge of the House and Senate.