Biden signs $886 bln defense budget bill, with $300 mln for Ukraine

US President Joe Biden signed into law the defense policy bill that authorizes a record $886 billion in annual military spending and policies such as aid for Ukraine worth $300 mln, Reuters reports.

The act, nearly 3,100 pages long, called for a 5.2% pay raise for service members and increased the nation's total national security budget by about 3% to $886 billion. It also lists certain Chinese battery companies that it says are ineligible for Defense Department procurement.

The document also extends one of the measures of assistance to Ukraine, the Security Assistance Initiative, until the end of 2026. It allows for $300 million to be allocated to the program in the next fiscal year, which ends on September 30, 2024.

However, that figure is small compared to the $61 billion that Biden had asked Congress to approve to help Kyiv combat a Russian invasion that began in February 2022.

Republicans had refused to approve assistance for Ukraine without Democrats agreeing to a significant toughening of immigration law.

Reuters reminded that Congress voted for the law on December 14. This document is one of the few important acts Congress passes annually.

It regulates everything from military pay raises and purchasing ships and aircraft to policies such as support for foreign partners such as Ukraine or Taiwan.

The Biden administration announced a $200 million military aid package to Ukraine, which includes artillery shells, small arms ammunition, and other weapons.

The US Senate has made progress in border security negotiations to unblock aid to Ukraine.

Both Republicans and Democrats said they have positive expectations in the context of negotiations on migration reform, which is a prerequisite for approving aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.

The Pentagon said that if Congress does not approve new funding, the funds for military assistance to Ukraine will run out on December 30.

The US is running out of money to finance military aid to Ukraine. President Joe Biden requested more than $100 billion from Congress, including over $60 billion for Ukraine. Congress did not support this initiative.