Biden asks Congress for $33 billion aid package to Ukraine

President Joe Biden is asking Congress for a $33 billion supplemental bill directed at supporting Ukraine over the next several months, as Russia's unprovoked invasion continues.

Biden in making the request Thursday also pitched a proposal that would put even more pressure on Russian oligarchs, including using money from their seized assets to fund Ukraine's defense effort. 

Biden is preparing to offer long-term support to Ukraine with the latest package, which is significantly larger than any other that has, thus far, been sent to Ukraine. 

"The cost of this fight is not cheap, but caving to aggression is going to be more costly if we allow it to happen. We either back Ukrainian people as they defend their country, or we stand by as the Russians continue their atrocities in Ukraine," he said at a White House press event. 

Russia is refocusing its campaign to seize new territory in the eastern part of Ukraine. Russian leader Vladimir Putin's forces have repeatedly failed to take control of the capital city of Kyiv.

The $33 billion package will include more than $20 billion in requested funding for military and security spending, as well as $ billion for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, and $4 billion for the State Department's Foreign Military Financing Program.