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Just How Much Money Is The Russia-Ukraine War Costing Americans?

(Photo by Anastasia Vlasova/Getty Images)

Diana Glebova White House Correspondent
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The U.S. government has allocated over $55 billion aiding Ukraine in the Russia-Ukraine war since February, more than President Joe Biden has budgeted for securing the southern border in his two executive budget plans combined.

The Senate passed a bill Thursday approving $40 billion in aid to Ukraine, nearly $7 billion more than Biden had requested Congress to pass. Congress also approved a $14 billion package in March and the Biden administration sent $350 million in the first days of the war and $1 billion more in March.

In comparison, no European government has given more than $5 billion as of May 10, according to Kiel Institute for the World Economy. The U.S. ranks fourth, behind Estonia, Latvia and Poland, when accounted for GDP, according to the institute.

BORYSPIL, UKRAINE – JANUARY 25: An airport vehicle pulls a portion of a shipment of weapons that include Javelin anti-tank missiles and other military hardware delivered on a National Airlines plane by the United States military at Boryspil Airport near Kyiv on January 25, 2022 in Boryspil, Ukraine. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

The $40 billion package includes $6 billion for Ukrainian intelligence, equipment and training, $4 billion for Ukrainian military financing, $8.7 billion for the U.S. to restock weapons, $3.9 billion for U.S. troops in Eastern Europe, $8.8 billion for the Ukrainian government, $5 billion for countries facing food shortages due to the Russia-Ukraine war and $900 million on English lessons for Ukrainian refugees in the U.S.

The U.S. has also deployed over 10,000 additional soldiers to Eastern Europe to bolster support for NATO countries close to Ukraine. (RELATED: US Reopens Embassy In Kyiv)

“And as long as the assaults and atrocities continue, we’re going to continue to supply military assistance,” Biden said in his plea to Congress to pass the package. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal estimated that rebuilding Ukraine will cost $600 billion.

Biden halted the construction of the wall at the southern border that was ongoing during the Trump administration and was costing $46 million per mile, per the White House. Instead, his administration budgeted just over $23.8 billion for directly protecting the border in the President’s Budget for Fiscal Year 2022.

The budget included $14.3 billion for U.S. Customs and Protection, $8.37 billion for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and $1.2 billion for border infrastructure such as technology and “efforts to ensure the safe and humane treatment of migrants.”

In the President’s Budget for Fiscal Year 2023, Biden budgeted $23.4 billion for strengthening the border and immigration processes. The budget provided $15.3 billion for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and $8.1 billion for ICE.

The 2023 budget also mentioned supporting Ukraine and NATO allies in its allocation of $773 billion for the Department Of Defense.

“The Budget supports Ukraine, the United States’ strong partnerships with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies, and other European partner states by bolstering funding to enhance the capabilities and readiness of U.S. forces, NATO allies, and regional partners in the face of Russian aggression,” the budget stated.

The Daily Caller contacted the DHS, the White House and the National Border Patrol Council (NBPC) but they did not immediately respond in time for publication.