On the initiative of the military containment of Russia, the US plans to spend $ 4 billion.
On Tuesday, December 7, against the backdrop of the online summit of US and Russian Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin, it became known that US lawmakers have refused to impose sanctions on the Russian Nord Stream 2 pipeline and Russian individuals suspected of human rights violations.
This is stated in a statement issued on Tuesday, December 7, by the procedural committee of the US House of Representatives.
The sanctions against Nord Stream 2, which were going to be included in the US defense budget for 2022, were removed from the agreed draft.
“The House of Representatives bill contained a provision directing the president to impose sanctions on Nord Stream 2 “. The Senate amendment did not contain a similar provision. The agreement does not include this provision, ”the document says.
The US Congress also refused to impose sanctions against the Russian national debt and Russian individuals suspected of human rights violations. Earlier in the defense budget there was a provision on the introduction of such sanctions, but the Senate rejected it.
At the same time, the agreed project provides for $ 4 billion for the initiative of military containment of Russia and $ 300 million for military support to Ukraine. The document says it “includes $ 4 billion in the European Containment Initiative (EDI) and additional investments for EDI purposes.” This amount is $ 569.8 million more than the White House request.
The project also provides “$ 300 million for the Ukrainian Security Assistance Initiative, which provides support and assistance to the Ukrainian armed forces – an increase over the budget request of $ 250 million “.
In addition, the Senate supported the initiative to extend the ban on the activities of persons recognizing Russian sovereignty over Crimea.
Recall that during an online summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, US President Joe Biden expressed deep concern of the United States and European allies over the buildup of Russian military forces that “surround Ukraine.”
