UPDATE – US Congress approves aid to Ukraine after months of delay / Message to Zelenski: “Now go and win the fight” / Funding for Israel and humanitarian aid for civilians in conflict zones / Zelenski’s reaction

A sweeping foreign aid package easily passed the US Congress late Tuesday after months of delay, clearing the way for billions of dollars in new funding for Ukraine as Russia’s invasion force advances and Kiev leads lack of military supplies, reports Reuters.

READ ALSO Zelensky: I am grateful to the United States Senate for approving vital aid for Ukraine / This vote strengthens America’s role as a beacon of democracy and a leader of the free world

The Senate approved by a vote of 79 to 18 four bills passed by the House of Representatives on Saturday, after House Republican leaders abruptly reversed course last week and allowed a vote on the $95 billion, mostly military aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan and US partners in the Indo-Pacific.

The four bills were combined into a single package in the Senate, which President Joe Biden said he would sign into law on Wednesday.

The largest provides $61 billion in much-needed funds for Ukraine. A second provides $26 billion for Israel and humanitarian aid for civilians in conflict zones around the world, and a third mandates $8.12 billion to “counter Communist China” in the Indo-Pacific.

A fourth, which the Chamber of Deputies added to the package last week, includes a potential ban on the Chinese-controlled social media app TikTok, measures to transfer seized Russian assets to Ukraine and new sanctions against Iran.

The Biden administration is already preparing a $1 billion military aid package for Ukraine, the first from the bill, two US officials told Reuters.

It includes vehicles, Stinger anti-aircraft munitions, additional ammunition for high-mobility artillery rocket systems, 155-millimeter artillery ammunition, TOW and Javelin anti-tank munitions, and other weapons that can be used immediately on the battlefield.

Senate Democratic and Republican leaders said Congress had taken a step forward in conveying to Russian President Vladimir Putin and other foreign adversaries that Washington would continue to support Ukraine and other foreign partners.

“This national security bill is one of the most important measures that Congress has taken in a very long time to protect American security and the security of Western democracy,” Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a press conference. press after the vote.

The aid package could be the last approved for Ukraine until after the November elections, when the White House, the House of Representatives and a third of the Senate will be up for grabs.

Much of the opposition to the security assistance in both the House of Representatives and the Senate has come from Republicans with close ties to former US President Donald Trump, a skeptic of aid to Ukraine who has emphasized policies ” America First” as he seeks a second term.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, a strong supporter of aid to Ukraine, expressed regret at the delay, largely because of objections from hard-line Republicans to adding more to the $113 billion that Washington authorized them for Kiev since Russia began its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

“I think we’ve turned the corner on the isolationist movement,” McConnell said in a press conference.

Part of the money for Ukraine — $10 billion in economic support — comes in the form of a loan, which Trump had suggested, but the bill allows the president to forgive the loan starting in 2026.

“Now go and win the fight”

The influx of weapons should improve Kiev’s chances of avoiding a major push into the country’s east by Russian invaders, although it would have been more helpful if the aid had come closer to when Biden requested it last year, analysts said.

Schumer said she left a message with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Tuesday night, telling him: “OK, I did it. Now go and win the fight.”

It was not immediately clear how the money for Israel would affect the conflict in Gaza. Israel already receives billions of dollars in annual security assistance from the US, but more recently faced its first direct air attack from Iran.

Aid supporters hope the humanitarian aid will help Palestinians in Gaza, which has been devastated by Israel’s campaign against Hamas in retaliation for the Oct. 7 attacks that killed 1,200 people.

Health authorities in Gaza say that this campaign has resulted in the deaths of more than 34,000 civilians in the Palestinian enclave.

It was the second time this year that the Democratic-led Senate passed security aid for Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific. The latest bill, more than two months ago, had 70 percent support in the 100-member chamber, from both Republicans and Democrats, but leaders in the Republican-controlled House have not allowed a vote on it. foreign aid until last week.

The legislation’s progress has been closely watched by industry, with US defense firms set to win major contracts to supply equipment to Ukraine and other US partners.

Experts expect the additional spending to boost RTX Corp’s order book, along with other major companies receiving government contracts, such as Lockheed Martin ( LMT.N ), General Dynamics ( GD.N ) and Northrop Grumman ( NOC.N ).

The House of Representatives passed the funding for Ukraine 311-112, with all “no” votes coming from Republicans, many of whom fiercely oppose providing additional assistance to Kiev. Only 101 Republicans voted in favor, forcing House Speaker Mike Johnson to rely on Democratic support and prompting calls for his removal from the House leadership.

However, the House left Washington for a weeklong recess without triggering a vote to remove Johnson.

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