It authorizes up to $300 million per year of foreign military financing, including lethal military assistance.Photo from UNIAN

A bipartisan group of U.S. Senators – Bob Menendez and Jim Risch, Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Rob Portman, Chris Murphy, John Barrasso, and Jeanne Shaheen – on March 17 re-introduced the Ukraine Security Partnership Act to provide security assistance and strategic support to Ukraine.

Requires a report on U.S. diplomatic support for Ukraine over the next five years;

Encourages the Department of State to establish a working group on Ukraine with relevant European allies;

Encourages the administration to appoint a special envoy for Ukraine to serve as the U.S. liaison for the Normandy Format peace negotiations and to facilitate dialogue between Black Sea countries;

Authorizes up to $300 million per year of foreign military financing to Ukraine, subject to certifications, including the authority to provide Ukraine with lethal military assistance;

Requires a Department of Defense and State Department report on the capability and capacity requirements of Ukraine’s armed forces, a plan to supply U.S. security assistance to Ukraine, and any recommendations;

Expedites the transfer of excess defense articles to Ukraine, and calls for a strategy to encourage partner nations to do the same; and

Authorizes $4 million per year to train Ukrainian military officers through the International Military Education and Training.

U.S. Assistance: Background

On March 1, the U.S. Department of Defense said an assistance package worth $125 million will be provided to Ukraine, including on training Ukrainian military, providing equipment and consultative support.

Another $150 million will be allocated if reforms are implemented in security and defense sectors.

Read more on UNIAN: https://www.unian.info/politics/aid-to-ukraine-u-s-senators-introduce-updated-ukraine-security-partnership-act-11357887.html

(c)UNIAN 2021