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Updated April 29, 2022
U.S. Security Assistance to Ukraine
The United States has been a leading provider of security
approval in response to an “unforeseen emergency” (22
assistance to Ukraine, both before and after Russia renewed
U.S.C. §2318(a)(1)). Since August 2021, the Biden
its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. From 2014,
Administration has authorized eight drawdowns valued at
when Russia first invaded Ukraine, through April 25, 2022,
$3.31 billion (see Table 1).
the United States has provided more than $6.4 billion in
security assistance “to help Ukraine preserve its territorial
Table 1. Presidential Drawdowns for Ukraine,
integrity, secure its borders, and improve interoperability
FY2021-FY2022
with NATO.” Since the start of the 2022 war, the Biden
Date Authorized
Amount
Administration has committed a total of more than $3.7
August 27, 2021
$60,000,000
billion in security assistance to “provide Ukraine the
equipment it needs to defend itself.”
December 28, 2021
$200,000,000
February 25, 2022
$350,000,000
FY2022 security assistance packages have been funded
March 12, 2022
$200,000,000
through regular and supplemental appropriations. The
Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022 (P.L. 117-
March 16, 2022
$800,000,000
103, Division N), included $3.5 billion to replenish
April 5, 2022
$100,000,000
Department of Defense (DOD) equipment stocks that have
April 13, 2022
$800,000,000
been sent to Ukraine via presidential drawdown authority.
April 21, 2022
$800,000,000
Supplemental appropriations also provided $650 million in
Total
$3,310,000,000
Foreign Military Financing (FMF) for Ukraine and
“countries impacted by the situation in Ukraine,” of which
Source: Department of State and Department of Defense.
more than $322 million is to be obligated for Ukraine.
Ukraine also has received assistance pursuant to DOD’s
Regular defense appropriations included $300 million for
security cooperation authorities, notably 10 U.S.C. §333
DOD’s Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI).
Building Partner Capacity and 10 U.S.C. §332 Defense
On April 28, 2022, the Biden Administration sent an
Institution Building, and International Military Education
emergency supplemental request to Congress for additional
and Training (IMET), which has provided professional
funding and authority to address immediate needs in
military education at U.S. defense institutions for Ukrainian
Ukraine and other countries impacted by the war. The
military officers. Other State Department- and DOD-funded
request includes $6 billion for USAI, $4 billion for FMF,
security assistance has supported conventional weapons
and $5 billion to replenish DOD stocks.
destruction, border security, law enforcement training, and
counter-weapons of mass destruction capabilities.
Overview of Programs Since 2014
Through the Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine,
The United States has used a variety of security assistance
established in 2015, the U.S. Army and National Guard,
programs and authorities to help build the defensive
together with military trainers from U.S. allied states,
capacity of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) through
provided training, mentoring, and doctrinal assistance to the
train, equip, and advise efforts across multiple spending
UAF before the war (at a training facility in western
accounts. Two of the primary mechanisms are the State
Ukraine that was targeted by a Russian missile strike in
Department’s FMF (22 U.S.C. §2763) and DOD’s USAI
March 2022). This training mission was suspended at the
(P.L. 114-92, §1250) (see Table 2).
outset of Russia’s invasion. In April 2022, DOD announced
USAI packages have included training, equipment, and
it would resume training Ukrainian personnel, outside
advisory efforts to enhance Ukraine’s defensive capabilities
Ukraine, specifically to operate U.S. and allied systems.
such as maritime domain awareness; operational safety and
Separately, U.S. Special Operations Forces have trained and
capacity of air bases; and lethality, command and control,
advised Ukrainian special forces.
and survivability of the UAF. USAI also supports cyber
Provision of Defense Equipment
defense and strategic communications to counter Russian
cyberattacks and misinformation. A portion of annual USAI
After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014, the Obama
funds is contingent on DOD and State certifying Ukraine’s
Administration provided Ukraine nonlethal security
progress on key defense reforms.
assistance, such as body armor, helmets, vehicles, night and
thermal vision devices, heavy engineering equipment,
The United States also is providing defense items to
advanced radios, patrol boats, rations, tents, counter-mortar
Ukraine via Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), by
radars, uniforms, medical kits, and other related items. In
which the President can authorize the immediate transfer of
2017, the Trump Administration announced U.S.
articles and services from U.S. stocks without congressional
willingness to provide lethal weapons to Ukraine.
https://crsreports.congress.gov
U.S. Security Assistance to Ukraine
Table 2. Selected U.S. Security Assistance to Ukraine, FY2016-FY2023
(selected account al ocations, in millions of dol ars)
FY2016 FY2017 FY2018 FY2019 FY2020
FY2021
FY2022
FY2023
Foreign Military Financing
85.0
99.0
95.0
115.0
115.0
115.0
322.0 (obl.) 165.0 (req.)
Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative
226.5
148.6
195.5
214.8
256.7
275.0
300.0
300.0 (req.)
Sources: State Department Congressional Budget Justifications, Defense Department Budget Requests, and P.L. 117-103.
Notes: Amount does not include security and nonproliferation assistance periodical y provided via other accounts.
Since 2018, Ukraine used FMF, as well as some of its
focused on providing systems and capabilities that
national funds, to procure U.S. defense equipment,
Ukraine’s domestic defense industry cannot produce, as
including Javelin anti-armor missiles and Mark VI patrol
well as on increasing UAF resilience and ability to sustain
boats, through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) system.
combat operations. Before the war, the U.S. government
Ukraine also used a combination of FMF and national funds
had sent teams to evaluate Ukrainian abilities and needs.
to refurbish former U.S. Coast Guard Island-class patrol
Ukrainian officials have expressed interest in acquiring
boats provided through the Excess Defense Articles (EDA;
advanced systems, including fighter aircraft, anti-ship, and
22 U.S.C. §2321j) program. On April 24, 2022, the State
additional air defense and anti-missile capabilities.
Department notified Congress of a potential FMS sale of up
Recent Legislation
to $165 million for nonstandard ammunition for Ukraine. In
addition, Ukraine has purchased firearms, ammunition,
Prior to and immediately following Russia’s renewed
ordnance, and other laser, imaging, or guidance equipment
invasion of Ukraine, Congress authorized or proposed
directly from U.S. suppliers via Direct Commercial Sales.
increased funding levels for existing security assistance
authorities. Congress increased the PDA (22 U.S.C.
According to DOD, USAI packages have provided sniper
§2318(a)(1)) funding cap from $100 million up to $200
rifles, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, counter-artillery
million via P.L. 117-70; up to $300 million via P.L. 117-86;
radars, Mark VI patrol boats, electronic warfare detection
and up to $3 billion via P.L. 117-103. Similarly, Congress
and secure communications, satellite imagery and analysis
increased a notwithstanding authority in the Foreign
capability, counter-unmanned aerial systems (UAS), air
Assistance Act (FAA; 22 U.S.C. §2364) used to fulfill PDA
surveillance systems to monitor sovereign airspace, night
packages to Ukraine, from $250 million to $500 million via
vision devices, and equipment to support military medical
P.L. 117-103. The Biden Administration’s emergency
treatment and combat evacuation procedures.
supplemental request seeks to increase PDA again, from $3
In 2022, the United States has provided more advanced
billion to $8 billion, and the 22 U.S.C. §2364 authority
defense equipment to Ukraine, as well as greater amounts
from $500 million to $1 billion.
of previously provided equipment. According to DOD, U.S.
The Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2022
security assistance committed to Ukraine as of April 21,
(S. 3522) passed the Senate on April 6, 2022, and the House
2022 has included
on April, 28, 2022. This act would modify provisions in the
1,400+ Stinger anti-aircraft systems;
FAA and Arms Export Control Act to bypass bureaucratic
barriers for leasing or lending U.S. defense articles to
5,500+ Javelin anti-armor systems and 14,000+ other
Ukraine and neighboring countries.
anti-armor systems;
Potential Considerations for Congress
121+ Phoenix Ghost Tactical UAS and 700+
Congress may consider what weapon systems the UAF are
Switchblade Tactical UAS;
using most effectively and their ability to rapidly utilize
90 155 mm Howitzers with 184,000 artillery rounds;
new or more advanced systems. New systems can require
time to train personnel, integrate into operational plans,
16 Mi-17 helicopters;
deploy, and maintain. Congress also may consider whether
hundreds of Armored Humvee Vehicles;
providing more sophisticated weaponry risks further
military escalation, including the potential for Russia to
200 M113 Armored Personnel Carriers;
attack NATO member states to prevent support from
reaching Ukraine. In light of increasing PDA authority and
7,500+ small arms 60+ million rounds of ammunition;
the frequency of drawdowns, Congress may consider the
laser-guided rocket systems; and
capacity of the defense industry to accelerate production of
existing systems. Moreover, Congress may consider how to
other essential nonlethal equipment, including
balance the short-term needs of Ukraine for more arms with
communications and intelligence equipment.
longer-term concerns related to end-use and end-use
Several NATO and European Union (EU) members also
monitoring of such arms.
have provided weapons and military assistance to Ukraine.
In addition, the Biden Administration has authorized third-
Christina L. Arabia, Analyst in Security Assistance,
party transfers of U.S. defense articles and equipment from
Security Cooperation and the Global Arms Trade
at least 14 NATO and EU members to Ukraine.
Andrew S. Bowen, Analyst in Russian and European
Affairs
Discussion on Future Assistance
Cory Welt, Specialist in Russian and European Affairs
Since 2014, U.S. policy increasingly emphasized
supporting the UAF’s ability to deter Russia and defend its
IF12040
territorial integrity. Much of U.S. assistance has been
https://crsreports.congress.gov
U.S. Security Assistance to Ukraine
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF12040 · VERSION 6 · UPDATED