Biden signs gov't funding bill including $13.6 bn aid to Ukraine
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Economic and military assistance to Ukraine are well over billions as of now.
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Biden approves $13.6 billion for Ukraine aid, US government
On Tuesday, Biden signed legislation - the Consolidated Appropriations Act for 2022 - funding the US federal government and also providing aid to Ukraine amid the crisis.
The legislation will fund the federal government through September 30, 2022, and it will provide $13.6 billion in humanitarian, economic, and defense aid to Ukraine.
Biden said that the legislation sends a message that Republicans and Democrats can come together to get something done and fulfill their responsibility to keep the government open and serving Americans.
Read more: Total US military assistance to Ukraine amounts to $1.2 billion
Just three days ago, the Biden administration authorized another $200 million of assistance to Ukraine.
Ukraine will have to pay for Western aid
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tersely stated that western countries are assisting Ukraine, but Kiev has yet to pay for it.
"The money allocated by Europe and other nations is spent only on humanitarian aid or weapons. Sometimes we receive weapons directly, but you have to understand that everything has its price," he claimed.
Zelensky added that "whenever the money that we get is mentioned - well, it all came at a cost, it’s not for free."
