US Congress approves $900 billion defense budget, provides $400 million in aid to Ukraine

The US Congress has passed the defense budget for fiscal year 2026, which starts on October 1. Total spending will be about $900 billion, reports The New York Times.

The document was supported by 231 lawmakers, 196 voted against. 17 lawmakers from the US Democratic Party, which currently has a minority in the House of Representatives, supported the bill, and only four Republicans (the majority faction) did not vote for it.

The document provides $400 million in military aid to Ukraine under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) program. This mechanism involves the conclusion of contracts between the Pentagon and arms manufacturers, rather than the transfer of equipment from US warehouses.

The law obliges the Pentagon to report to Congress if it intends to cancel or suspend already approved assistance to Ukraine.

The budget also includes an amendment to repeal the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF), which was adopted during the 2002 Iraq War and the 1991 Gulf War. This will make it more difficult for presidents to bypass Congress on the use of force.

The US Senate is considering its own version of the bill. Once adopted, the document will be finalized by a special commission and then submitted to the US President for signature Donald Trump .

• The administration of US President Donald Trump has reduced the estimate of total aid provided to Ukraine since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, - from $300 billion to about $100 billion.
• According to Financial Times sources, Ukraine risks facing a shortage of air defense equipment amid slowdown in US supplies after the Defense Ministry's review of military aid and Russia's intensified attacks.
• On September 2, it was reported that the partners have already allocated $2 billion for the purchase of US weapons for Ukraine.