The US Senate has approved the National Defence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024, amounting to $886 billion, marking a 3% increase from the previous year. The defence budget plan received support from 87 senators, with 13 voting against it. The bill is set to be sent to the House of Representatives, which is expected to conduct its vote later this week.

Within the framework of the Security Assistance Initiative for Ukraine, the defence bill allocates $300 million.

The legislation emphasizes the importance of NATO adopting a strategy for the Black Sea region, stating that “it is in the interest of the United States to support efforts to prevent the spread of further armed conflict in Europe by recognizing the Black Sea region as an arena of Russian aggression”.

The bill underscores the significance of Black Sea states, including Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, and Georgia, in resisting Russian aggression and addressing collective threats to NATO.

The document notes, “It is in the interest of the United States that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization adopt a robust strategy toward the Black Sea, and the United States should also consider working with interested partner countries to advance a coordinated strategy inclusive of diverse elements of transatlantic security architecture in the Black Sea region”.