Will there be no land lease for Ukraine? The ambassador disappointed with forecasts regarding U.S. assistance.

The U.S. House of Representatives has approved the defense appropriations bill for national defense needs for the year 2025 (NDAA). However, it does not include a provision for extending the Lend-Lease Act for the protection of democracy in Ukraine.

This was reported by the Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S., Oksana Markarova. She noted that the defense appropriations bill for 2025 was supported by 281 congress members.

Opposition came from 140 lawmakers, specifically 16 Republicans and 124 Democrats. The document is set to be reviewed by the U.S. Senate next week.

"This year’s NDAA bill, approved by the Senate, included a provision for extending the Lend-Lease Act for the protection of democracy in Ukraine, and the Ukrainian Embassy in the U.S. actively advocated for it. However, the bill approved by the House of Representatives did not contain such a provision. The corresponding clause is absent in the consolidated text of the bill. The Embassy continues to work actively to preserve this mechanism, which is also anticipated in the bipartisan and bicameral 'Stand with Ukraine Act',” Markarova noted.

Lend-Lease for Ukraine — What You Need to Know

It is important to remember that the Lend-Lease Act was signed by U.S. President Joe Biden on May 9, 2022. It expanded the president's powers in agreements for military assistance to Ukraine. It effectively allows for the loan or leasing of military equipment through simplified export control procedures.

It enabled the White House to provide Ukraine with weapons, equipment, ammunition, and dual-use goods through an expedited process, meaning without waiting for special funding approval from the U.S. Congress.

The last time the Lend-Lease program was in effect was during World War II, when American military assistance was supplied to opponents of Nazi Germany, primarily the United Kingdom and the USSR.

At the same time, the U.S. did not provide Ukraine with weapons under the Lend-Lease, as there was no need for it. All assistance was provided free of charge.

However, since the end of 2023, the U.S. has effectively suspended assistance to Ukraine, as a $60 billion aid package is blocked in the House of Representatives of the U.S. Congress.

Earlier, "Telegraph" reported on whether Ukraine can produce a nuclear bomb and what is needed for that.