Obama administration defends $2 billion in defense contracts with Russia

POLITICO title Defense Department to receive $2B in military aid to Russia article The Department of Defense (DoD) is expected to receive a $2.2 billion military aid package, including up to $1.6 billion in weapons and ammunition, to bolster Russia’s military capabilities and reassure allies in Eastern Europe.

The U.S. Department of State announced Monday that it will receive $750 million in emergency relief for the Russian Federation, including a $250 million grant to support the development of Russian missile systems.

The aid package is part of a $350 million package of military assistance to Russia announced last week by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, the Pentagon announced.

The announcement comes a day after Hagel ordered an emergency review of all defense aid to the Russian government, which has been accused of supporting the Syrian government and separatists in the Ukraine conflict.

The Russian Federation is an ally of President Vladimir Putin, who has denied the allegations, and the deal comes as the United States is grappling with the effects of a deadly cyberattack on the State Department and U.N. computers that was blamed on the Russian military.

Russia has denied responsibility and has called the U. S. accusations baseless.

The defense aid package comes as President Donald Trump seeks to expand military capabilities in Asia and around the world, while boosting ties with Moscow, which is a longtime U.K. ally and ally of his administration.

Hagel has been a vocal critic of the Kremlin, and has criticized the U,S.

and European countries for not doing enough to stop the Ukraine crisis.

He also said the Trump administration should use military options to end the civil war in Syria, where the U the U., Russia and Iran have been bombing for more than a year.

Hegel said the U for the first time since the start of the Cold War, the U S. and the U Europe were “fully engaged in the fight against ISIL and all those who seek to inflict violence on our values.”

The Trump administration also wants to boost U. N. aid to nations that have failed to meet their defense needs and to address their humanitarian needs.

Russia and the European Union have agreed to a $17 billion U.

Ns. aid package that is expected by year-end.

The Obama administration has also begun a new push for a new arms embargo to punish Russia for its alleged role in the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, which killed 298 people.

Russia is a signatory to a new U.n. treaty that aims to cut Russian ties with Iran, Syria, Cuba and North Korea, and is expected in a speech on Tuesday to urge the US. to pursue similar measures against the Soviet Union.