Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) attends a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on President Donald Trump’s budget request for the Department of Defense, on Capitol Hill in Washington, on June 11, 2025. Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters
A Senate appropriations panel has advanced an $852 billion Pentagon funding bill that includes about $1 billion in aid for Ukraine, which comes as President Donald Trump has hardened his demands for Russian President Vladimir Putin to negotiate a peace deal.
The Senate Appropriations Committee approved the measure on July 31 in a 26–3 vote. It would provide $800 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative and $225 million for the Baltic Security Initiative, both aimed at strengthening Kyiv’s defenses and supporting regional allies against Russia’s invasion.
