US Senate approves $952 billion defense budget with $500 million for Ukraine – media

15:27, 10.10.2025 1 min read

The United States Senate on Thursday approved a bill that would allocate $952 billion for national defense, giving overwhelming bipartisan support to the annual defense policy bill, The New York Times has said.

The legislation reportedly would extend the Ukraine Security Initiative through 2028 and increase authorized funding to $500 million.

The bill also seeks to address modern military technology, requiring research into the secure integration of artificial intelligence and other cyber tools, as well as a program focused on “rapid development, testing, and scale-up” of drones. The Pentagon, watching US allies use drones in creative combat maneuvers, is seeking to build its own stockpile of the new technology.

As reported in August, the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday approved a military spending bill that would provide the U.S. Department of Defense with about $852 billion in support for Ukraine for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2026.