President Biden’s Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says the United States can “certainly” afford funding the wars in Ukraine and now Israel.
QUICK FACTS:
- Joe Biden’s Treasury Secretary recently said that the U.S. can provide aid toward the wars in Ukraine and Israel.
- “America can certainly afford to stand with Israel and to support Israel’s military needs, and we also can and must support Ukraine in its struggle against Russia,” Yellen said.
- The treasury secretary said the U.S. is in support of Israel but is apprehensive about civilian deaths.
- “America has also made clear to Israel, we’re working very closely with the Israelis, that they have a right to defend themselves,” Yellen continued. “But it’s important to try to spare innocent civilian lives to the maximum extent possible.”
- The 77-year-old claims both Israel and Ukraine are a “priority” and the U.S. needs to come up with funds for both countries.
TREASURY SECRETARY JANET YELLEN ON THE U.S. FUNDING WARS IN UKRAINE AND ISRAEL:
“We do need to come up with funds, both for Israel and for Ukraine. This is a priority,” Yellen said.
BACKGROUND:
- In February 2023, Yellen announced the U.S. would be providing $10 billion in taxpayer dollars to Ukraine “in coming months.”
- “The United States and our allies are proud to support the Ukrainian people’s fight for freedom,” Yellen said at the time at the G-20 finance summit in India.
- She claimed U.S. funding was necessary and essential to keep the Ukranian government running.
- “The United States has provided over $46 billion in security, economic, and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. Our military assistance includes key defensive weapons that Ukraine has asked for — such as the Patriot missile defense system. And our economic assistance is making Ukraine’s resistance possible by supporting the home front: funding critical public services and helping keep the government running,” the secretary continued. “In the coming months, we expect to provide around $10 billion in additional economic support for Ukraine,” she said.