US State Dept. Requests $58.5Bln In 2022 Budget For Global Operations, Countering Russia

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th May, 2021) The Biden administration on Friday asked Congress for $58.5 billion in fiscal year 2022 to support the State Department's global operations, including its efforts to counter Russia and China.

The White House released full details of its budget proposal more than a month after previewing a $6 trillion presidential request for the next fiscal year.

"At a moment of unprecedented challenge and change, it is essential for the United States to work in common cause with our allies and partners around the world to advance our vital interests, promote shared prosperity, and defend our democratic values," Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrote in the State Department's congressional budget justification.

Blinken said the budget request of $58.5 billion for the State Department would allow it to chart "this course."

"It reflects the importance the Biden-Harris administration places on US global leadership and our belief that diplomacy and development are vital tools for advancing US interests," he added.

The request exceeds fiscal year 2021 budget by $5.4 billion. The Federal budget draft allocates another $5.2 billion to cover international activities of other government agencies.

In an unraveling global powers competition the State Department asked for hundreds of millions to fund operations to deter Russia and China across the world.

Almost $666 million are expected to be spent in Europe and Eurasia on building regional countries' resilience to "foreign malign influence" and advancing "Euro-Atlantic integration, while addressing growing challenges from Russia and the People's Republic of China, including predatory development," according to the document.

Priority recipients of the funding include Georgia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Ukraine with $255 million requested in assistance for the latter.

"US assistance will strengthen Ukraine's ability to counter Russian aggression," the State Department said. It also expects the funding to accelerate reforms, support energy security, contribute to reconstruction efforts, and provide support for the Organization for Security Co-operation in Europe Special Monitoring Mission.

The State Department requested another $1,9 billion to bolster US allies in the middle East and counter Iran's and China's influence in the region.

The State Department seeks $810 million for international broadcasting operations of its US Agency for Global Media. It will target "key markets such as China, Russia, and Iran; countries in the Middle East and Africa dealing with violent extremism; and countries where climate change, public health crises, and economic uncertainty are threatening democratic values and emboldening authoritarian regimes."

The State Department will also continue covering "emerging political and humanitarian challenges" in countries such as Myanmar, Belarus, Hong Kong, and Venezuela, as well as "the historic transition of power" in Cuba.

Other State Department's budget requests include $1.4 billion to combat various infectious diseases, $0.5 billion increase in financing UN peacekeeping missions, doubling of spending on educational and cultural exchange programs, $700 million to support global efforts to counter climate change.

The request also provides for a $750 million Cybersecurity Reserve to be allocated to nine federal agencies most impacted by the SolarWinds hacking attack - a cyberespionage operation officially attributed by the United States to the Russian foreign intelligence. Russia denies any wrongdoing.