As the United States continues to pump vast sums to support the Kiev regime, the hard-earned cash of American taxpayers is apparently subsidizing small businesses in Ukraine, such as a designer knitwear company, a US report has claimed.
It's not just weapons for Ukraine - ranked the second-most corrupt country in Europe according to German-registered organization 'Transparency International' - that Washington is wasting billions on. The knitwear company in question is a long way from the frontline, and its owner was quoted as voicing gratitude to the US, more specifically the United States Agency for International Development, for helping her to find customers overseas.
The report comes as inflation continues to feed into soaring grocery and gas costs for America’s taxpayers, many of whom are struggling to make ends meet. Core inflation in the US, which reflects the change in the costs of goods and services, but omits food and energy prices, is at present at 4.3 percent. An average household now has to spend an extra $734 each month on the same goods and services than it did two years ago, according to Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody’s Analytics, cited in a recent report.
However, as far as the Biden administration is concerned, nothing will get in the way of sending more and more assistance to Kiev, despite recent polls showing Americans' concerns about bread-and-butter issues. This obstinate determination is despite growing awareness of Ukraine’s botched counteroffensive, and looming government shutdown over spending battles between lawmakers in Congress.
The Biden administration has been hoping to get its $24 billion Ukraine package through Congress as the US government’s 30 September funding deadline approaches, triggering a face-off between Republicans and Democrats.
However, some of the most vocal Republicans in the House, such as Representatives Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and Marjorie Taylor-Greene (R-GA), have been vowing to block any spending bill unless their demands are met, including ditching any supplementary Ukraine funding. In the Senate, Republican lawmakers such as Senators Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Rand Paul (R-KY) have also been vehemently opposed to additional Ukraine aid.
Ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Washington, 29 Republican lawmakers - spearheaded by Senator James David Vance (R-OH) and Representative Chip Roy (R-TX) - penned a letter addressed to Shalanda Young, the director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, objecting to Biden's request for a further $24Bln for Ukraine.
"In the midst of a historic border crisis and looming government shutdown, the United States is in no position to fund the endless war in Ukraine," one of the letter's signatories, House Small Business Committee Chairman Representative Roger Williams (R-TX), told the media.