Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) introduced a bill that will provide $50 billion in military aid for Ukraine. The assistance is intended to fund the proxy war for another two years.
According to The Hill, “Shaheen and Murkowski are framing their legislation as giving Trump additional tools to force Putin to the negotiating table — by scaling up Ukraine’s military capabilities to withstand Russian attacks.”
“This bipartisan bill will strengthen President Trump’s negotiating hand with Vladimir Putin and finally put an end to this senseless war,” Ranking Member of the Foreign Relations Committee Shaheen said. “There is continued bipartisan resolve to sustain Ukraine’s valiant fight for freedom by helping Ukraine obtain the air defense needed to protect its civilian population centers, including schools and hospitals, from Russia’s relentless drone and missile attacks.
However, the Senators appear to be laying a trap for Trump in their framing, as the legislation would prevent the President from halting aid shipments.
The legislation includes $30 billion in direct military assistance, $12 billion in Presidential Drawdown Authority funds, and $3 billion in foreign military financing. It provides money for other projects, including a $1 billion joint drone venture between the US, Ukraine, and Taiwan.
The Senators want to use frozen Russian assets to fund part of the aid. The US holds about $5 billion in Russian assets that were frozen by US sanctions following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
“It also makes clear that Russian assets held in the United States should be used to cover the costs to provide weapons to Ukraine,” Shaheen’s statement explained.
During the 2024 campaign, Trump was extremely critical of the White House for providing Ukraine with tens of billions of dollars in military assistance. Last year, Congress passed a $60 billion aid package for Ukraine. Then-Senator JD Vance voted against the bill.
However, Trump has become frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is refusing to end the war unless Ukraine agrees to territorial concessions. So far, Trump appears to be attempting to pressure Moscow by placing tariffs on Russia’s trading partners rather than seeking to significantly escalate military support for Ukraine.
