US Pentagon and Congress allocate tens of billions of dollars to counteract the threat of Russia in European countries

The Pentagon budget in the fiscal year 2020, which will begin on October 1, will amount to $ 733 billion - $ 17 billion less than the Washington administration asked. This is stated in the project of the American military budget for the 2020th financial year, prepared by the chairman of the Armed Forces Committee Adam Smith. The bill was a response to the budget request of the US administration for the 2020th financial year, TASS reports.

"The proposal of the chairman of Smith provides for the allocation of $ 733 billion for our national defense. This will allow our military to maintain combat readiness, increase potential and invest in new software and technologies necessary to protect the country from our opponents," the document says. In particular, the Democrat proposes to allocate $ 69 billion for conducting operations abroad.

In addition, the Pentagon should allocate $ 250 million for military assistance to Ukraine, which will consist in assistance in matters related to security and intelligence. The document also proposes to extend for a year a ban on the use of budget funds for "carrying out any types of activities that recognize the sovereignty of Russia over the Crimea." In the US budget for the current year, $ 200 million was allocated for this purpose.

In addition, lawmakers ask the head of the Pentagon together with the Secretary of State no later than October 15, 2019 to submit a US strategy report on countering Russian threats in the Black Sea. " The Committee expressed concern about the incident in the Kerch Strait on November 25, 2018. "Russia's actions pose a threat to compliance with navigation rules in the Black Sea and the sovereignty of Ukraine," the text claims.

Legislators demand that the report consider, in particular, “the assessment of the Russian military potential, including naval potential, in the Black Sea and in its area, as well as a strategy for counteracting it, <...> Assessment of any shortcomings of the Ukrainian naval potential, which can be reinforced by the current authorities.”

The amendments proposed to the Pentagon budget in 2020 will be discussed at a meeting of the Committee on June 12. Then the document will be considered by the entire House of Representatives, after which the Senate will join this work. This whole process usually lasts until autumn. If both chambers of the Congress approve of the draft budget, it will be sent to the US President for signature.

In addition, in the 2020 fourth year, which begins on October 1, the European Inviting Initiation Program will receive $ 6.5 billion from the US Congress. This program provides for a "further increase in the number of US troops" and "containing Russian aggression" in Europe. The author of the project emphasizes that he proposes to allocate 794, $ 23 million more for it than the Washington administration requested in March . "To allocate funds for the" European Initiative Initiation "in the amount of $ 6.5 billion for 2020 financial year compared to the request of the President [US Donald Trump] at $ 5.7 billion," the document says.

The Chairman of the Committee indicated that $ 800 million will be sent to "military construction work, anti-submarine defense funds and other urgent priorities in order to restrain Russia and cooperate with allies and US partners."

In March, Trump asked the American Congress to increase defense costs by 5%, to $ 750 billion in 2020. At the same time, he proposed reducing all the non -person expenses of ministries and departments by 5%in order to lower the budget deficit in the next financial year.