The United States under President Joe Biden enacted the Defense of Democracy Ukraine program, a lend-lease framework designed to streamline the provision of arms and defense equipment to Kyiv. The act expands presidential authority to negotiate supply or lease arrangements with the Ukrainian government to protect civilians from military occupation and to meet related needs.
Within ninety days of the law taking effect, the administration is to establish expedited processes to ensure timely military assistance. Kyiv is to receive equipment and weapons on credit, with payments deferred until after the conflict ends.
The lending legislation was introduced to Congress before Russia launched its campaign in Ukraine. By April, both chambers approved the measure with a mandate to support Ukraine through hostilities. The Senate vote occurred on April 7, and the House followed on April 28.
One of the bill’s authors, a Republican senator from Texas, emphasized that the law would reaffirm the United States as a principal supplier to Ukraine, including deadly arms in response to the threat to Ukraine’s sovereignty. The Ukrainian president described the signing as a historic moment and publicly thanked the American people for backing Ukraine in its struggle for freedom and future security.
Since February, the United States has allocated substantial military and security assistance to Ukraine. By late April, a new package request sought additional funding to support defense and security objectives.
How Moscow Responded to Washington’s Policy
Russia’s parliamentary leadership signaled concern about a potential debt burden for Ukraine, arguing that lending would boost profits for American defense contractors and leave future generations of Ukrainians paying the bill. A notable comment described lending as a financial instrument with long-term costs for recipients.
Historical remarks suggested that debts owed by the Soviet Union to the United States were settled many decades after World War II through negotiated arrangements and material exchanges, a point raised in comparison with current lending practices.
Russian officials criticized Western leaders for arming Ukraine, arguing that weapons deliveries would eventually deplete Western stockpiles and that such measures would intensify the conflict rather than resolve it.
Historical Context: The Lend-Lease Program in World War II
The Lend-Lease policy was enacted during World War II to provide military and other material support without immediate payment. The program originally extended to the Commonwealth of Nations and China, then broadened to more than 40 allied nations, with the Soviet Union joining in the latter half of 1941. The United States entered the war soon after the program began.
Supply totals included vast numbers of aircraft, tanks, jeeps, trucks, and a wide range of materiel. In addition to weapons, the lend-lease flow encompassed food, metals, petroleum products, and essential goods such as clothing and footwear. Allied leaders later acknowledged the important role of American aid in sustaining the war effort.
After the war, the lend-lease arrangement was terminated in 1945. Some historians note that the perception of its impact varied over time, while others emphasize its contribution to Allied victory. A later debt settlement process resolved outstanding obligations between the Soviet Union and the United States, with final payments concluding decades later.