The president of the United States, Joe Biden, seems willing to stop the war in Ukraine at all costs and stop the ambitions of Russia, with a difficult economy and despite the fact that Americans are increasingly wary of spending money on that conflict.
The head of the White House revealed this Thursday a new spending package with a shocking figure of 33,000 million dollars of humanitarian aid to kyiv and asked Congress to approve the disbursement quickly. “Giving in” is not an option, he said.
“The cost of this fight is not cheap,” Biden argued in remarks from the Roosevelt Room at the White House. “But giving in to aggression is going to be more costly if we allow it to happen.”
“Either we stand by the Ukrainian people as they defend their country,” he said, “or we stand by while the Russians continue their atrocities.”
The spending is much larger than the United States’ commitment to date, and is intended not only to defend Ukraine, but also to weaken and deter Russia in a war that has now been going on for two months and shows few signs of ending. American leaders are increasingly open about their hopes that the conflict will result not only in the survival of Ukraine, but also in a significantly weakened Russia.
Biden also announced Thursday a proposal to allow US authorities to liquidate the assets of Russian oligarchs and donate the proceeds to Ukraine, seeking what appear to be sweeping new legal powers to expand America’s financial war against the Kremlin amid bipartisan pressure on Congress.
“We are going to seize their yachts, their luxury homes and other ill-gotten gains,” said.
Joe Biden smiles during the dialogue with the journalists. AP
Asked about concerns that Russia might see the latest moves not as a proxy war, but as a more direct confrontation with the United States and its European allies, the president replied: “We are prepared for whatever they do.” .
However, he rejected growing claims by Russian officials and state media that Moscow is fighting the entire West. “We are not attacking Russia. We are helping Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression.”Biden said.
Of the $33 billion, $20 billion will go to direct military aid, meaning Ukraine will receive military aid from the US alone, not counting the rest of NATO—equivalent to 60% of Russia’s budget.
Just one fact that reflects the magnitude of US assistance to Ukraine: Biden assured that the United States has already supplied that country with 10 anti-tank weapon systems for every tank that Russia sent to that country.
The rest of the aid will be in economic assistance to kyiv and developing countries that are being hit by the closure of food exports by Russia and Ukraine, which, according to UN estimates, could make 30 million people do not have enough food.
The initiative of requesting that enormous figure from Congress is risky for Biden, at a time of inflation that exceeds 7.6% per year – unusual by US standards – and just as it was revealed that the country’s economy slowed to only 1.4% growth in the first quarter, due to the impact of the Omicron variant, inflation and the war in Ukraine.
The Americans begin to see with some resentment the extension of the war that may already take longer than expected at the beginning. According to a poll last week by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, Americans’ desire to engage in war has diminished.
32% of those consulted say that The United States should play a major role in the conflict, down from 40% last month. An additional 49% say Washington should have less of a stake.
These data are important in an election year, where the pocket can break any variable. In November there are legislative elections and the Democrats could lose control of Congress.
Vladimir Putin. AFP
Nevertheless, Biden appears determined to take on Putin beyond the internal consequences since, together with its allies, it considers that stopping Russia is a mission for global stability.
In recent times the threatening tone of the Kremlin has grown and has warned of the possibility of a nuclear war. Asked about it, Biden said that he considers it “a sign of desperation” and warned that “no one should make idle comments about the use of nuclear weapons or the possibility of using them. Is irresponsible”.
In parallel to military assistance, Biden seeks to continue tightening the pressure on Vladimir Putin’s inner circle, with confiscation procedures that allow the oligarchs’ assets to be sold to “remedy the damage caused by Russia.” In a way, he wants Americans to see that the money comes not just from the coffers of the US Treasury, but from Putin’s billionaire allies.
Until now, the allies of the EU blocked more than $30 billion in Russian assets, including nearly $7 billion in luxury assets belonging to oligarchs, such as yachts, works of art, real estate and helicopters, the White House said in a statement.
One of the latest seizures was of a $90 million superyacht belonging to Russian billionaire Victor Vekselberg.
This proposal may raise controversy since there has not been a process that certifies that the assets of the Russian oligarchs were harvested in illicit activities or that they have been used to commit crimes. The proposal, despite Biden’s intentions, could be questioned in the Supreme Court, experts say, since it would give the Executive the power to confiscate assets without the justice intervening.
Beyond these considerations, Biden could see his aid package pass Congress because the Democrats, and the Republican leadership in general, are in favor of supporting kyiv.