The US Senate Armed Services Committee has voted in favor of a defense funding bill that includes $750 million for security assistance to Ukraine under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, Reuters reports.
This refers to the draft annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) prepared by the Senate, which sets Pentagon policy and outlines funding at $1.15 trillion.
Within the document, $750 million is directed toward a program that pays US companies to supply weapons to the Ukrainian military.
"The Republican-majority panel said it had completed its version of the NDAA, an annual bill setting policy for the Pentagon, that included $750 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which pays U.S. companies for weapons for Ukraine’s military," the report says.
The bill, according to Reuters, also prohibits the use of NDAA funds for any activities that recognize the sovereignty of Russia over the internationally recognized territory of Ukraine. Separately, it directs the Pentagon to provide intelligence support to Ukraine to facilitate military operations aimed at defending or reclaiming territories.
The bill provides multi-year procurement authority for weapons, including Boeing-built F-15EX fighter jets and Lockheed Martin-built F-35s.
Following approval by the House and Senate committees, the respective versions of the bill must be considered by both chambers of the US Congress. Subsequently, lawmakers must agree on a compromise version of the document, which will be sent to the US President for signature or veto.
