US to increase funding for Georgia, Ukraine to counter Russian influence

Georgia is among key European countries that will receive United States funding to counter Russian influence and aggression.

The US House Appropriations Committee has introduced the Fiscal Year 2018 State and Foreign Operations Bill that contains funding to bolster US allies and key partners in strategic and challenging areas of the world and provides critical humanitarian aid.

To respond to instability caused by Russian aggression, the bill increases funding for Ukraine and Georgia and provides $250 million for the Countering Russian Influence Fund authorized by Congress, which is $150 million above the prior year”, the document reads.

Moreover, according to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, not less than $105,325,000 shall be made available for assistance for Georgia and not less than $420,700,000 for Ukraine from the US.

The document condemns any form of recognition of the independence of or the establishment of diplomatic relations with the Russian occupied Georgian territories of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) as well as the support of the Russian occupation of Georgian territories.

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The bill also encourages the six Eastern Partnership states of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine to advance the implementation of their respective association and trade agreements with the European Union and to reduce their vulnerability to external economic and political pressure from the Russian Federation.