Biden Budget To Support Democracy, Peace In South Caucasus, Eastern Europe

The Biden administration vowed Monday in its 2025 budget to support democracy and peace in the South Caucasus, Central Asia, Eastern Europe and to counter malign Russian and Chinese influence across Eurasia region, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

The White House released a $7.3 trillion proposed U.S. government budget for next year, which includes some $700 million increase for the State Department and USAID: $58.8 billion in total.

One of key priorities in the State Department's request is ensuring Russia’s war in Ukraine remains a strategic failure, Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources Rich Verma told a daily briefing.

"We are requesting $482 million, which would sustain crucial support for Ukraine in its resolute defense of its people and independence from Russia. Our request also provides the resources needed to deliver critical economic development and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine’s brave and resilient citizens," he said. "Let me be clear, though. These funds are in addition to the October 2023 National Security Supplemental Request," he added immediately.

Another $999 million across Europe, Eurasia, and Central Asia will be used to counter malign Kremlin and PRC influence in the regions "by building the resilience of our allies and partners, advancing democratic reforms, countering Russian disinformation, improving citizen’s access to factual and unbiased media, bolstering energy and cyber security, and stabilizing economies impacted by the conflict," a Fact Sheet of the State Department's budget states.

In particular, the request reflects the U.S.' sustained support for volatile environments countries like Moldova and Georgia, and will advance efforts for a democratic future in Belarus; build Armenia’s economic and democratic resilience and ties to the West; and support the transition of the countries of the Western Balkans to EU membership.

The requested $204.2 million for Foreign Military Financing includes $150 million for the European and Eurasian Regional operating unit, $9.75 million for each of the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania), and $25.0 million for Georgia."These programs will continue to build the capacity of Allies and partners to defend themselves against Putin’s war of aggression in the region and help Allies backfill material and capabilities donated to Ukraine," reads the Fact Sheet.

This request also assumes the appropriation of the critical humanitarian and economic support funds the Biden admin has been fighting for in last year's supplemental, USAID's Deputy Administrator for Management and Resources Paloma Adams-Allen told a State Department briefing.

When asked by TURAN's correspondent whether the supplemental budget delay has impacted USAID's capabilities to deliver humanitarian aid in Ukraine, the deputy administrator said that while they are still providing assistance, that is ramping down. "The challenge will be if we don’t get the supplemental funding, that’s where we will have to cut off 400 or so health centers that are providing support, food assistance that’s going out to folks," she added.

As for the South Caucasus, Biden's budget request assumes $52 million for Armenia, Adams-Allen told TURAN's correspondent.

According to the proposal, some $45 million of it will be provided to Armenia under AEECA (Assistance to Europe, Eurasia and Central Asia) to support the country's democratic reforms, rule of law, and combat disinformation and corruption. Funds will also support governance reform and economic development at the local level, beneficiaries of which will also include displaced persons from Nagorno- Karabakh.

"Funding will also support efforts to advance the peace process with Azerbaijan and programs within Armenia to advance normalization of relations with Türkiye," reads the budget request.

Georgia will receive $80 million under AEECA, slightly less than last year ($85,4),  while Azerbaijan will get $9 million.

Unlike last year, this time the budget request for Azerbaijan doesn't include funding under the Nonproliferation, Anti-Terrorism, Demining and Related Programs. In the meantime, the country will receive $700,000 under the International Military Education and Training program, which is a $100,000 increase from last year.

In addition, the budget contains $2,5 million for Azerbaijan under USAID's Global Health Programs.

American presidents are required by law to release a budget and the practice has become an opportunity to put price tags on their administrations' spending proposals, however presidential budgets generally are not blueprints for bills that will ever become law. It's up to Congress to pass actual spending bills.