The Biden-Harris administration has informed Congress that it intends to forgive $4.65 billion in loans provided to Ukraine earlier this year.
Matthew Miller, a U.S. State Department spokesman, confirmed during a Wednesday press briefing that the Biden-Harris administration plans to forgive roughly half of the economic loan the U.S. offered Ukraine in April.
“So we have taken the step that was outlined in the law to cancel those loans, provide that economic assistance to Ukraine,” Miller said.
Fox News reported that Congress passed a bill authorizing a total of $60 billion in aid for Ukraine to support the country in its fight against the Russian invasion. Miller explained on Wednesday that $9 billion of the aid was included as a loan and was authorized with a provision that would allow the Biden-Harris administration to forgive it.
According to Miller, if the Biden-Harris administration follows through with its plans to forgive Ukraine’s debt to the United States, Congress would still have an opportunity to pass a resolution to overturn the administration’s decision.
Fox News reported that Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) introduced a resolution to block the aid on Wednesday night, while Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) indicated plans to also introduce a resolution blocking the loan forgiveness in the U.S. Senate.
“On his way out, Joe Biden is trying to forgive $4.65 billion of debt Ukraine owes America’s taxpayers,” Massie said Wednesday in a post on X, formerly Twitter. “I just introduced H.J.Res 224 to stop this ‘America Last’ policy from taking effect.”
According to Fox News, a resolution blocking the Biden-Harris administration’s debt forgiveness plan for Ukraine is not expected to pass the Democratic-led Senate. The outlet added that President Joe Biden would also have the power to veto a resolution if it passed Congress.
Congress has allocated over $175 billion for Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion in 2022, according to Fox News.
Following President-elect Donald Trump’s 2024 election victory, the Biden-Harris admin has taken multiple steps to increase support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia. On Sunday, Biden authorized Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied long-range missiles against Russian territory, and on Wednesday, Biden authorized Ukraine to use anti-personnel land mines, according to Fox News.
Fox News reported that Biden has also expressed his intent to finish distributing roughly $7 billion in Ukrainian funding before Trump’s inauguration in January.
Written by Timothy Frudd for American Military News ~ November 22, 2024
