UKRAINE AID BILL CLEARS THE US SENATE AND ENDS OF MONTHS OF BITTER DEADLOCK
The US Senate passed a long-awaited foreign aid bill on Tuesday night, ending a six-month deadlock over support for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.
Senators sat late to consider a series of proposals that were first approved by the House of Representatives on Saturday, including a plan to send $61 billion (£49 billion) in lethal aid to Ukraine.
The bill’s passage through both houses of Congress ends a deadlock between the White House and Republicans on Capitol Hill, who opposed additional spending on the war and argued it should be spent on domestic programmes.
The legislation passed in the Democrat-controlled Senate with overwhelming support, with 79 votes in favour to 18 against.
Welcoming the result on Tuesday night, Joe Biden said he would sign the bill as soon as it reaches his desk on Wednesday.
“Tonight, a bipartisan majority in the Senate joined the House to answer history’s call at this critical inflection point,” he said.
“Congress has passed my legislation to strengthen our national security and send a message to the world about the power of American leadership: we stand resolutely for democracy and freedom, and against tyranny and oppression.”
He added that Ukraine’s need was “urgent” and that the rest of the $95 billion bill would be spent in Gaza, Sudan, Haiti and Taiwan.
Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, said he was grateful to the US Senate.
‘‘This vote reinforces America’s role as a beacon of democracy and the leader of the free world,’’ Mr Zelensky said in a statement shared on social media.
‘‘I am also grateful to all Americans who continue to support Ukraine and recognise that the historical significance of this bill extends beyond politics.’’
He added: ‘‘Ukraine’s long-range capabilities, artillery, and air defence are critical tools for restoring just peace sooner.’’
The bill cleared its highest hurdle, the House, on Saturday after an unusual agreement between the Republican House Speaker, Mike Johnson, and congressional Democrats.
It passed with a significant majority, but without the support of 112 Republicans. Several have called for Mr Johnson’s resignation over his decision to work with the opposing party.
Speaking after the vote, Mr Johnson said: “Ukrainians desperately need lethal aid right now.
“We cannot allow Vladimir Putin to roll through another country and take it. These are very serious matters with global implications.”
The Senate also passed a separate bill, approved as part of the same package, that will force the Chinese owner of TikTok to sell the platform or face a ban from US app stores.
The funding for Ukraine means Mr Biden has a budget to spend using the Presidential Drawdown Authority, a power that allows him to reallocate existing military supplies to Ukraine.
Once he signs the bill, a new $1bn tranche of lethal aid is expected to be sent within days from US stockpiles in Europe to the Ukrainian front lines.
The package includes an array of ammunition, including air defence munitions and large amounts of artillery rounds that are much in demand by Ukrainian forces, as well as armoured vehicles and other weapons.
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The impasse between Mr Biden and Congress began in October, when he proposed a massive Ukraine “supplemental” designed to continue US funding for the war until the presidential election in November.
With the support of Donald Trump, some Republicans argued that the government should instead focus on domestic priorities, including the security of the US border, and called for the war to be brought to a negotiated conclusion.
Mr Biden has said that “history is watching” US politicians and that the American government should continue to support Ukraine to help it reclaim territory lost to the Russian invasion in February 2022.
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