Kiev has requested $5 billion to fight corruption

Information reaching Kossyderrickent has it that Kiev has requested $5 billion to fight corruption.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Monday said the bloc remains steadfast in its support for Ukraine, announcing a proposed spending package of up to $5.25 billion for Kyiv in 2024.

Borrell made the comments during a press briefing alongside Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in Kyiv where EU foreign ministers convened their first ever off-site meeting in a display of support for Ukraine.

Though Monday’s meeting in Kyiv was touted by Borrell as a historic first, it comes at an awkward time for the pro-Ukraine Western alliance. A pro-Russian candidate won an election in Slovakia, an EU and NATO member, and the U.S. Congress omitted funding for Ukraine from its temporary spending bill. The Ukrainian military counter-offensive has been slower than Western leaders had hoped before autumn mud clogs the treads of their donated tanks.

The administration of US President Joe Biden requested the Congress to allocate additional $13 billion for urgent military aid to the Kiev government and $8.5 billion for economic and security assistance to Ukraine and other countries, according to a document published on Thursday.

The document, headlined Final Supplemental Funding Request Letter, says that “The Administration is requesting supplemental security, economic, and humanitarian assistance funding that would support Ukraine, as well as countries and vulnerable populations worldwide” impacted by Russia’s special military operation. The list of these countries is unknown.

The document says that among other things, the US administration is requesting $9.9 billion to the Department of Defense “for several large activities in response to the situation in Ukraine.” This includes $4.5 billion “to replace defense articles from the DOD stocks”, reimbursement for defense services and military education and training provided to the government of Ukraine and boosting ammunition and equipment production.

$5 billion will be allocated for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative to purchase weapons for the Kiev government from manufacturers and partners.

A portion of the funding will be directed for funding personnel and operational support, such as intelligence analysis.