US Congress Approves $150 Million ‘Lethal Weapons’ Assistance to Ukraine

The U.S. Congress has approved the allocation of military assistance worth $150 million to Ukraine under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, the Ukrainian embassy to the United States said.

The funds will be available to the Pentagon in order to provide Ukraine with military support, including, in particular, the provision of lethal weapons of defensive character and equipment, logistics support, intelligence support of the Ukrainian army and national security forces, training of Ukrainian armed forces personnel and other programs, Interfax news agency reported citing the document published by the embassy on its Facebook page.

The embassy also noted that as per the 2017 consolidated appropriations act, Ukraine is being allotted at least $560 million in total of assistance.

"Ukraine highly values the bilateral support of the United States Congress! The Senate and House of Representatives have passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 under which not less than $560 million shall be made available for assistance for Ukraine. The bill is now headed to the U.S. President for signature," the embassy said on its Facebook page.

Under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, the total sum of assistance to Ukraine in the amount of at least $560.465 million, including $410.465 million to be sent to various assistance programs and $150 million, the report added.