US to increase funding for Georgia, Ukraine to counter Russian influence
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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.
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.
United States (US) President Donald Trump has signed a bill to counter aggression by the Governments of Iran, the Russian Federation and North Korea.
The Committee on Foreign Relations of the United States Senate has approved a bill featuring measures to counter Russian influence in Europe and Eurasia, including in Georgia.
Georgian Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze said the United States President Donald Trump’s signing a legislative act banning the US government from financially helping countries that recognise the independence of Georgia’s Russian-occupied regions is unprecedented example of support for Georgia.
The United States House of Representatives has passed a legislative act banning the US government from financially helping countries that recognise the independence of Georgia’s Russian-occupied regions.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili has welcomed the United States 2018 Spending Bill increasing US assistance for Georgia. US President Donald Trump signed the $1.3 trillion spending bill into law yesterday. $105,325,000 will now be made available for assistance for Georgia.
Congressmen expressed readiness to further support Georgia in any directions including trade and security, PM’s office said today.
The US 2019 state budget bill provides increased support for Georgia, with more than $127 million in aid. This is $22 million more than last year, the Georgian Foreign Ministry reports. The draft budget reads that $275 million will be allocated in total for countries in Eastern Europe and Eurasia.