- US House approves $61 billion aid package for Ukraine
- Bipartisan effort faces opposition but ultimately passes in House
- Aid includes weaponry, economic assistance, crucial for Ukraine’s defense
To combat the Russian invasion, the House of Representatives has ultimately authorized billions of dollars in additional US military aid for Ukraine.
A precarious bipartisan agreement was required to pass the $61 billion (£49 billion) package through Congress, where it encountered vocal opposition and was significantly delayed.
Republicans estimated that over one-third of the funds would be used to restock ammunition and weapons.
The support of the United States was deemed “vital” by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
He added that the assistance would prevent the conflict from escalating and save thousands of lives.
The precise arrival time of the aid is unknown. It is anticipated that the Senate will approve the package within the coming days, following which President Joe Biden will affix his signature to make it official.
In addition to receiving ammunition and weaponry resupply systems, Ukraine will receive over $9 billion (£7.28 billion) in economic assistance in the form of “forgivable loans”—loans that do not require repayment.
In February 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated a comprehensive military campaign against Ukraine. Tens of thousands of individuals, primarily soldiers, have been killed or injured on both sides since then, and millions of Ukrainians have been forced to evacuate their residences.
Ukraine, which is heavily dependent on Western armaments, is in critical need of assistance as it grapples with the containment of Russian troops that have been steadily advancing in recent weeks.
As a consequence, Ukrainian troops are compelled to ration artillery projectiles along a front line extending over 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) in length due to ammunition shortages.
As Russia intensified its armored assaults, the chief of the Ukrainian military warned over the weekend that the situation on the battlefield in the eastern region of the country had “significantly deteriorated.”
As the measure was approved by 311 votes to 112, jubilant cheers and ovation erupted in the House, with some Representatives waving Ukrainian flags.
Mr. Biden expressed his satisfaction with the outcome and urged the Senate to swiftly approve the bill “so that I may sign it into law and we may expeditiously deliver weapons and equipment to Ukraine to meet their urgent battlefield needs.” He commended the bipartisan effort to “answer history’s call.”
The substantial increase in aid, according to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, would supplement the tens of billions of dollars in aid that European allies are already providing to Ukraine.
“Against Russia, Ukraine merits every ounce of assistance it can receive,” said EU directors Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen in a joint statement.
Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for the Kremlin, stated that the package would “enrich the United States of America, further destabilise Ukraine, and kill an even greater number of Ukrainians.”
The president of the Ukrainian foreign affairs committee, Oleksandr Merezhko, termed the vote a “historical decision” that would “certainly preserve a great number of lives among our soldiers and civilians.”
He stated that it provides them with strength, courage, and determination to continue the battle. He was confident that the situation on the front would shortly improve in their favor.
Mr. Zelensky and William Burns, director of the CIA, have both stated that Ukraine will lose the conflict in the absence of American assistance.
This has been reinforced by Russia’s territorial gains and the struggle of other Western allies to fill the void left by Washington over the past six months.
Once more, Ukraine is experiencing the impact of American support.
While this does not provide an infallible solution to Ukraine’s wartime predicament, it does prolong its fighting time and deter the negotiating table.
Republicans postponed the House vote for several months, as some members preferred to transfer funds internationally rather than address the US-Mexico border dispute.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, stated that he would support the bills regardless of the risk to his position.
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It was comfortably passed by a wide margin on Saturday; however, those figures obscure the escalating partisan divisions surrounding the issue.
Although all 210 Democrats cast their votes in favor of the legislation, the Republican majority was 112 to 101 in opposition.
That may prove to be problematic for Mr. Johnson. Already, three Republicans in the House are demanding his removal as Speaker. They might even compel a vote the following week.
Although it is anticipated that the billions of dollars in new aid will sustain the Ukrainian war effort in the coming months, additional US support becomes increasingly improbable should the Republicans regain control of Congress or the White House.
Conversely, a bill that the House also passed would require the China-based owner of the social media platform TikTok to relinquish its stake or face a ban in the United States.
