US Senate approves $60 billion aid package for Ukraine

The US Senate approved an aid package worth more than $95 billion, including $60 billion for military support and other needs of Ukraine.

US senators on February 13 passed a bill on a $95.34 billion aid package in a vote of 70 to 29, with 22 Republicans and most Democrats in the US Senate supporting it. The bill will now be sent to the US House of Representatives.

The $60 billion aid package is intended to provide weapons, ammunition and other critical needs for Ukraine as the war between the country and Russia enters its third year.

Additionally, the aid package will provide $14 billion for Israel's retaliation against Hamas, $4.83 billion to support U.S. partners in the Indo- Pacific region, and $9.15 billion in humanitarian aid for civilians in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Ukraine, and other conflict zones around the world.

Ukrainian soldiers unload a shipment of weapons delivered by the US to Kiev in February 2022. Photo: Reuters

However, House Speaker Mike Johnson warned that the chamber would reject the Senate bill. "House Republicans have made it clear from the beginning of this debate that any additional national security legislation must recognize that this problem begins at our borders," Johnson said.

Mr Johnson had said the original bill introduced by the US Senate, which included some of the most restrictive immigration measures in decades, would be rejected by the House as soon as it reached the chamber. According to Mr Johnson, the measures proposed by the US Senate were not strong enough.

"The Senate did the right thing last week in rejecting the bill and should have gone back to the table to amend it and add real border security provisions," the House Speaker said.

“In the event that the Senate does not change any border policy, the House will have to continue to carry out the will of the body on these important issues,” Mr. Johnson warned.

Ukrainian officials are hoping for fresh aid from the United States after months of delays caused by a dispute in the country’s parliament . Ukraine is running low on ammunition and weapons after a failed counteroffensive, while Russia has recently stepped up its offensive along a 1,000-kilometer frontline and made some progress.

Supporters of the Ukraine aid package are watching the response of former President Donald Trump, who has criticized the aid and said it “should have been in the form of a loan.”

Nguyen Tien (According to AFP, Reuters )

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