US Senate approves $925 billion defense bill, proposes $500 million for Ukraine
The U.S. Senate approved a defense budget bill for fiscal year 2026 totaling $925 billion, with security assistance to Ukraine proposed to increase to $500 million, the New York Times reported on Oct. 9.
The legislation reflects a $100 million increase over the House of Representatives' version and extends assistance to Ukraine through 2028, signaling ongoing congressional support for Kyiv.
The new funds were allocated under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), a Pentagon-led program that supplies arms to Ukraine through contracts with U.S. defense companies.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed an $890 billion defense policy bill on Sept. 10, allocating $400 million for Pentagon security assistance to Ukraine.
The Senate approved the legislation on Oct. 9, which funds the U.S. military at $925 billion in fiscal year 2026, after lawmakers reached a deal to unlock the stalled legislation.
The bill includes several key provisions supporting Ukraine and regional allies.
A measure led by Senator Chuck Grassley allows the Baltic states to share U.S.-purchased HIMARS launchers and ammunition without bureaucratic obstacles, complicating Russian strategic planning.
The bill also includes the Baltic Security Initiative Act, introduced with Senator Dick Durbin, to strengthen U.S. security cooperation with the Baltic states amid ongoing Russian aggression.
It also incorporates the Abducted Ukrainian Children Recovery and Accountability Act, co-sponsored by Senator Amy Klobuchar, to support Ukraine's efforts to track and rehabilitate children abducted by Russia.
According to Ukraine's official Children of War database, 19,546 children have been confirmed to be deported or forcibly displaced to Russia, occupied Ukrainian territories, or Belarus since February 2022.
The bill's approval paves the way for a conference process between the House and Senate Armed Services committees, where lawmakers will work to reconcile the differences between the two pieces of legislation.
While Ukraine continues to receive U.S. arms under USAI, President Donald Trump has yet to approve any new aid packages under a separate tool called the presidential drawdown authority, which his predecessor, former President Joe Biden, widely used.
Instead, Trump unveiled a new Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative, a NATO-led program under which the allies purchase American weapons for Ukraine.
Oleg Sukhov
