The US House of Representatives passed a $95 billion foreign aid bill, including nearly $61 billion for Ukraine, a result expected by Kiev.
The vote in the US House of Representatives on April 20 on approving funding for Ukraine resulted in 311 votes in favor and 112 abstentions. 112 Republicans opposed the bill, 101 supported it.
US House Speaker Mike Johnson speaks to the media after the Ukraine aid bill was passed on April 20. Photo: AFP
The bill next heads to the Democratic-led Senate, which passed a similar measure more than two months ago. US leaders, from Democratic President Joe Biden to Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, have urged House Speaker Mike Johnson to bring the measure up for a vote.
The Senate began considering the bill on April 23. Final passage is almost certain, clearing the way for President Biden to sign it into law.
The spending bill provides $60.84 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, including $23 billion for additional U.S.-provided weapons, stocks and facilities, $26 billion for Israel, and $8.12 billion for the Indo-Pacific. The bill has been delayed for months due to opposition from some House Republicans.
In addition to aid to allies, the spending package also includes provisions to transfer frozen Russian assets to Ukraine, sanctions against Iran and Hamas, and forcing Chinese company ByteDance to sell its TikTok platform or be banned in the US.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed gratitude, saying the US lawmakers had acted to “keep history on the right track”.
"The critical US aid bill passed by the House today will keep the conflict from spreading, save thousands and thousands of lives, and make both our countries stronger," he wrote on social network X.
“This comes at a time of great urgency, as Israel faces unprecedented attacks from Iran and Ukraine endures sustained bombardment from Russia,” said President Biden, who has repeatedly called on Congress to approve additional aid to Ukraine since last year.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the news. "This significant increase in aid will add to the tens of billions of dollars in aid that European allies have already provided to Ukraine," he said.
Meanwhile, far-right Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene immediately criticized House Speaker Johnson. "Mike Johnson is a lame duck... he's done for," she told reporters after the vote results were announced.
Greene has been a vocal opponent of helping Ukraine in its confrontation with Russia, once warning of removing Mr Johnson from office over the issue.
In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the vote was a foregone conclusion. "It will enrich the United States and further destroy Ukraine," he said.
Vu Hoang (According to Reuters, AFP )
Source link
Comment (0)