The US parliament on Wednesday approved a $13.6 billion package to provide military and humanitarian support to Ukraine and its European allies due to the Russian invasion. Biden had been asked for 10 million.

Aid to Ukraine included $6.5 billion for the U.S. costs of sending troops and weapons to Eastern Europe and equipping allied forces in response to the invasion.

There was $6.8 billion more for refugee assistance and to provide economic aid to allies, and more to help government agencies enforce economic sanctions against Russia and protect against cyber threats at home.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said that on Wednesday she talked with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about the needs for military arms, humanitarian aid and other types of assistance.

Military Aid

About $6.5 billion, about half of the aid package, will go to the U.S. Department of Defense so that it can deploy troops to the region and send defense equipment to Ukraine.

The US has deployed thousands of troops across Europe, both before and during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. But putting troops on the ground in Ukraine, which is not a NATO member, is a line that the US and its Western allies have been unwilling to cross.

Humanitarian Aid

More than $4 billion would provide humanitarian support for refugees fleeing Ukraine and displaced persons within Ukraine, as well as emergency food assistance, health care, and urgent support for vulnerable communities within the region.

Economic aid

The bill would provide nearly $1.8 billion to help address economic needs in Ukraine and neighboring countries, such as cybersecurity and energy issues.

The bill also calls for $25 million for the U.S. Agency for Global Media, an independent federal agency, to combat disinformation in foreign news broadcasts. Another $120 million would help support local activists and journalists in Ukraine and promote accountability for Russian human rights violations.