US House approves $61bn in military aid to Ukraine
The US House of Representatives approved a bill on financial aid to Ukraine. Now, the US Senate must consider this issue, and then President Joe Biden must sign it.
This was reported by Rubryka, referring to the broadcast of the vote in the House of Representatives.
The bill on aid to Ukraine was supported by the majority of House of Representatives members. Even before the end of voting, the required number of votes was collected for the draft law.
The aid bill for Ukraine, initiated by the Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, is $60.84 billion in total. A third of these funds, $23.2 billion, will remain in the United States and be spent on replenishing American reserves.
Where will the remaining funds be spent:
- $13.8 billion — for the purchase of advanced weapons systems, defense products, and defense services for Ukraine;
- $11.3 billion — for current US military operations in Europe;
- $26 million — for continued oversight and accountability for aid provided to Ukraine.
Also, as part of this draft law, Ukraine will receive $7.85 billion loan in direct financial aid to the state budget. This loan will have the right to be written off by the American president, but only after the US elections scheduled for November 5, 2024.
In addition, the bill obliges the US president to immediately transfer long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine. However, the president has the right to refuse if this transfer could harm the United States' national security.
The bill will now go to the US Senate. Despite the break provided by the Senate's schedule, senators are expected to consider it soon.
After the senators' approval, the bill should be sent to US President John Biden for his signature. As the majority leader in the Senate, Democrat Chuck Schumer, stated, the document will be sent to the president's desk immediately after the vote.
At the same time, the White House has already promised that a new package of military aid from the United States will be allocated to Ukraine immediately after the bill's final approval. According to the American Politico, Ukraine may receive artillery and air defense systems, but the final size of the aid package is still unknown.
We will remind, on April 19, the US House of Representatives supported the submission of a draft law on assistance to Ukraine. The draft laws on aid to Israel and Taiwan also passed this procedural vote.
What is known about the provision of aid to Ukraine from the United States
As reported, on April 17, the Speaker of the House of Representatives introduced separate bills on aid to American allies, in particular Ukraine, and also announced a separate initiative on protecting the US-Mexico border and countering Russia, China, and Iran.
The Ukrainian package provides about $61 billion in aid to Ukraine and its allies and for resupplying the US military. It also calls on the administration to hand over long-range ATACMS missiles to Kyiv.
The bill's final vote should occur by the evening of Saturday, April 20.
US President Joe Biden has expressed his readiness to sign, if Congress approves, bills on additional funding for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, which were introduced by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson.
We will remind you that the day before, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, presented four separate bills on financing US aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, as well as other national security priorities.
The United States House of Representatives rejected all amendments to the Ukraine support bill before the final vote.
