Eat that, Putin: US lawmakers give green light for historic £32bn lifeline for Ukraine in fresh push to ‘weaken’ Russia
Sigh of relief in Kyiv this morning as the US House of Representatives has emphatically approved a fresh $40bn, or £32.4bn, aid package for Ukraine.
The measure sailed to passage by a lopsided 368-57 margin, providing $7bn more than President Joe Biden’s request from April and dividing the increase evenly between defence and humanitarian programs.
The bill would give Ukraine military and economic assistance, help regional allies, replenish weapons the Pentagon has shipped overseas and provide $5bn, or £4.5bn to address global food shortages caused by the war’s crippling of Ukraine’s normally robust production of many crops.
The measure was backed by every voting Democrat and by nearly three out of four Republicans.
Record spending
The new measure includes $6bn to arm and train Ukrainian forces, $8.7bn to restore American stores of weapons shipped to Ukraine and $3.9bn for US forces deployed to the area.
There is also $8.8bn in economic support for Ukraine, $4bn to help Ukraine and allies finance arms and equipment purchases and $900m for housing, education and other help for Ukrainian refugees in the US.
The new legislation would bring American support for the effort to nearly £54bn, including the $13.6bn in support Congress enacted in March.
That is about $6bn more than the US spent on all its foreign and military aid in 2019, according to a January report by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service, which studies issues for lawmakers. It is also around 1 per cent of the entire federal budget.
The measure was released as Washington has become increasingly assertive about its goals and its willingness to help Ukraine with more sophisticated weapons.
Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said recently the US wants a “weakened” Russia that cannot quickly restore its capability to attack other countries.
Russian attacks on Ukraine’s southern port of Odesa have intensified in what seems an attempt to hamper deliveries of Western arms. Those weapons have helped Ukraine hold its own surprisingly well against its more lethal foe, but the grinding war is taking its toll.
Senate approval of Ukrainian aid seems certain, and members of both parties have echoed the need for quick action.
“As Putin desperately accelerates his campaign of horror and brutality in Ukraine, time is of the essence.”
Nancy Pelosi
But it was unclear when the Senate would act, and changes there were possible, with Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell insisting that the measure be narrowly focused on the war.
“I think we’re on a path to getting that done,” McConnell told reporters. “It needs to be clean of extraneous matters, directly related to helping the Ukrainians win the war.”
Oksana Markarova, Ukraine’s ambassador to the US, attended Tuesday’s separate Democratic and Republican Senate lunches and expressed gratitude for the support they have received.