After months of delay, the US House of Representatives finally approved over $61bn in military assistance for Ukraine in its battle against Russia, alongside billions allocated for Israel and Taiwan.
In a bipartisan vote, 210 Democrats and 101 Republicans backed Ukraine, while 112 Republicans opposed it. Republican Speaker Mike Johnson pushed through the bills despite internal resistance, particularly from those opposed to increased spending on Ukraine’s defense.
Voting began early in an extraordinary Saturday session, delaying the House’s recess. The bill’s passage was met with applause, though members were cautioned against waving Ukrainian flags.
Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, emphasized the importance of US aid in preserving peace and security, expressing gratitude to both parties and Speaker Mike Johnson.
The package, totaling close to $95bn, was divided into four separate bills. Funding for Israel and Taiwan also passed easily, with bipartisan support.
The bill allocates roughly $61bn for Ukraine, $26bn for Israel, $8bn for allies in the Indo-Pacific, and $9bn in humanitarian aid for war zones. Additionally, a ban on direct US funding for UNRWA was included until March 2025.
Of the $60.7bn allocated for Ukraine, approximately $23bn will replenish US military stockpiles, with $14bn going to the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative for purchasing advanced weapon systems. Other funds will support military operations, intelligence collaboration, and non-military assistance.
The Israel bill includes $4.4bn to replenish supplies, $4bn for missile defense, and $1.2bn for the Iron Dome and Iron Beam systems. The Taiwan bill provides over $8bn to counter Chinese activities, including submarine funding and military assistance.
Other provisions in the package include measures against ByteDance, additional sanctions on Iran, and the seizure of frozen Russian assets.
President Biden praised the bipartisan effort and urged the Senate to swiftly pass the bill, emphasizing the urgency of providing aid to Ukraine amidst ongoing conflicts.
To date, the US has provided roughly $111bn in aid to Ukraine since the war began over two years ago.
