U.S. Department of State: Proposed budget for 2018 aimed at “opposing Russian aggression”
The proposed budget of the U.S. Department of State for the 2018 fiscal year (beginning October 1, 2017) is aimed in particular at “opposing Russian aggression” in Eurasia. This position was stated in an interview with reporters on Tuesday by Hari Sastry, Director of the Office of U.S. Foreign Assistance Resources, which is a division of the U.S. Department of State.
“This budget will also allow us to counter Russian aggression and malign influence in Europe, Eurasia, and Central Asia, and bolster U.S. national security and economic interests in the region.
Sastry also explained that the proposed budget will allow the department to resist the terrorist organization ISIS as well as fight corruption around the world.
According to the information distributed by the State Department, the money allocated to helping countries in Europe and Eurasia in 2018 may be reduced. If in 2017 this figure reaches $494,844,000, then for the 2018 fiscal year, $470,572,000 was requested. In other words, the figure was reduced by more than $24 million. Additionally, the U.S. will continue to support the implementation of reforms in Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova.
At the same time, the explanatory information emphasizes that the State Department will continue to insist on the implementation of the Minsk agreements as well as the return of the Crimea to Ukraine. Only if these conditions are met will sanctions against the Russian Federation be lifted.