The Foreign Relations Committee of the US Senate has approved the Security Partnership with Ukraine Bill, which increases US military aid to Kiev from $ 250 to $ 300 million, including lethal weapons.

This was reported on the website of the committee.

“This law expands and strengthens the support provided by the United States to Ukraine, and also serves as a signal that the United States will continue to support the people of Ukraine, their defenses and democratic transformations in the country,” the statement said.

In addition, Kiev will receive from the United States "unused military equipment and property in an expedited manner."

Separately, Washington will allocate $ 4 million for the provision of military education and training of Ukrainian military personnel in the framework of international programs.

In addition to providing military assistance to Ukraine, the document obliges the US President within 15 days to report to Congress on whether Nord Stream 2 AG, founded by PJSC Gazprom, is subject to sanctions under the European Energy Security Law, and 19 other firms associated with the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

By passing the bill by an overwhelming majority, the committee demonstrated the unwavering commitment of both parties to friends in Ukraine on the front lines of Russian aggression, according to Democratic Senator Bob Menendez, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee.

"In a situation when (President of Russia.

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) Putin continues to exacerbate the situation on the border with Ukraine, we again unanimously declare our continued support for the people of Ukraine and commitment to protecting the interests of our national security, as well as our closest partners," he said.

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Oksana Markarova, Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States, reacted to Washington's decision.

“This bill is extremely important and timely in the context of the escalation of Russia's aggressive behavior towards Ukraine and the buildup of the military presence at the border and in the occupied Crimea,” she wrote on her Facebook page.

🇺🇦🤝🇺🇸 The Committee of Foreign Ministers of the United States Senate has unanimously accepted the two-part draft law “On Partnership with Ukraine ...

Published by Oksana Markarova Wednesday 21 April 2021

It is worth noting that in order for the bill to take effect, representatives of both houses of the US Congress must vote for it.

Then the document will go for signature to the head of the White House.

Political background

Recall that the draft defense budget for the 2021 fiscal year (National Defense Authorization Act, NDAA), which was approved in 2020 by the Senate, contained a provision on the allocation of military assistance to Ukraine in the amount of $ 250 million.However, the 45th US President Donald Trump blocked the adoption of this document.

Later, Congress overrode his veto.

In early March of this year, the US Department of Defense confirmed that the US defense budget for 2021 planned military assistance in the amount of $ 125 million will be allocated to the Ukrainian side.The remaining funds will be allocated when Ukraine makes sufficient progress in key defense reforms, the Pentagon stressed.

“The US Department of Defense announces the provision of a new $ 125 million aid package under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), which includes training, equipment and advisory support for Ukrainian forces to help them preserve the country's territorial integrity and protect it. borders and improving interoperability with NATO, ”the message said.

After that, on April 14, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin at a joint press conference with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the United States intends to continue supplying Ukraine with "non-lethal materiel and certain weapons", as well as sending military instructors.

At the same time, Austin repeated the thesis, previously repeatedly voiced by Washington, that the United States is concerned about the alleged buildup of Russian military forces on the Russian-Ukrainian border, urging Russia to "stop its provocations and bring more transparency about this recent activity."

White House spokesman Jen Psaki also spoke about Washington's "concern" about the redeployment of Russian military personnel, as well as "the recent increase in manifestations of Russian aggression in eastern Ukraine," during a briefing on April 8.

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The Kremlin called such statements subjective and contrary to the "real state of affairs."

As the press secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov noted in an interview with the host of the program “Moscow.

Kremlin.

Putin ”of the TV channel“ Russia 1 ”, the movement of the composition of the Russian army across the territory of the country is not a threat to other states.

This is being done to ensure the security of Russia, Peskov emphasized.

In addition, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced on April 22 that the troops involved in a surprise check of the combat readiness of the troops of the Southern and Western military districts are returning to their permanent deployment points. 

“I believe that the objectives of the surprise check have been fully achieved.

The troops have demonstrated their ability to provide reliable defense of the country, ”said the head of the military department in Crimea.

"Give a clear signal to Kiev"

As the director of the Institute of History and Politics of the Moscow State Pedagogical University, Vladimir Shapovalov, said in an interview with RT, the current military assistance from Washington to Kiev is increasing in the context of the aggravation of the conflict in Donbass, which was initiated by the Ukrainian side.

“And this can be seen as a provocation from the American side.

In a situation when Ukraine is conducting military preparations, intensifying the actions of its armed forces on the line of contact, the United States is actually giving a clear signal to Kiev, provoking it to further exacerbate the conflict.

Moreover, this signal is consolidated - from two parties at once, ”he said.

In turn, Corresponding Member of the Academy of Military Sciences Sergei Sudakov noted in a conversation with RT that the United States "although it allocates little money to Ukraine for military needs, they can also inspire Kiev to take aggressive actions in the Donbass."

“This amount will not change the balance of power, it’s just a kind of encouragement for Kiev, a pat on the shoulder.

Washington will do nothing more for Ukraine, although Kiev is counting on NATO membership and more active American participation in the internal Ukrainian conflict.

But the United States does not take the Ukrainian authorities seriously, ”the expert said.

Publicly, the United States has said many times that it sees Ukraine as its partner, "however, all this is not because of love for the Ukrainian people, they just decided to annoy Russia at any cost," Sudakov said.

According to him, the American side with its funding seeks to support the escalation of the conflict in the south-east of Ukraine.

“And with such, albeit not quite large, infusions, it can continue indefinitely.

Moreover, given that the Democrats have always advocated a policy in which a good war is much better than a bad peace, ”the analyst said.

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In addition, according to Vladimir Shapovalov, even an insignificant increase in military aid to Kiev "is quite enough to create some dizziness among Ukrainian politicians with success."

“This will also give another reason to say that the US supports the Ukrainian authorities.

However, this assistance will not lead to a significant increase in the effectiveness of the Ukrainian army, which is currently in a very deplorable state, ”the expert said.

Sudakov, for his part, predicted that Washington would continue to allocate tranches to Ukraine, but "they will all be small."

“The United States clearly understands: if you want the dog to run after you, don't give it the whole pot, tease it with small pieces,” the analyst concluded.