White House That Axed $2 Billion in Border Wall Funding Asks Congress for $6.4 Billion to Aid Ukraine

The Biden administration asked Congress to provide $6.4 billion in funding to assist Ukraine as it fights off Russia’s advances, an administration official confirmed to Axios on Friday.

Driving the news: $2.9 billion would go toward security assistance, humanitarian aid, economic stabilization needs, and regional efforts to combat Russian cyberattacks, among other things. The administration is also seeking $3.5 billion for the Pentagon’s response to the crisis.

• Part of the $2.9 billion would also be allocated to aid Ukraine’s neighboring countries.
• The request is likely to receive bipartisan support. “We’re looking at including a Ukraine assistance package and COVID relief in the omnibus,” a congressional leadership aide told Axios on Friday.

What they’re saying: “As the President and bipartisan members of Congress have made clear, the United States is committed to supporting the Ukrainian people as they defend their country and democracy,” an official from the Office of Management and Budget said in a statement to Axios.

• “In a recent conversation with lawmakers, the Administration identified the need for additional U.S. humanitarian, security, and economic assistance to Ukraine and Central European partners due to Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion.”
• “The Administration will continue to closely coordinate with our European allies and partners to assess on-the-ground needs, and remain in close touch with Congress as these needs evolve,” the official added.

The big picture: The funding would supplement the United States’ previous commitments to Ukraine from this past year, including $650 million in security assistance and $52 million in humanitarian aid.

• More than 50,000 Ukrainians have fled their country in less than 48 hours, the United Nations refugee agency said Friday.

Worth noting: The U.S. announced sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday.

Go deeper: Ukraine-Russia crisis dashboard

Editor’s note: This story has been updated with additional details throughout.

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