The United States Senate has finally passed a long-delayed aid package worth $95 billion for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, paving the way for new weapons deliveries to Kyiv as soon as this week. The bill, which was part of a four-bill package, was approved by 79 votes to 18 late on Tuesday night and will now be signed into law by President Joe Biden. The majority of the assistance in the package is for Ukraine, with $61 billion allocated to the country to help defend against Russian forces.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the passage of the bill, stating that it reinforced America’s role as a beacon of democracy and leader of the free world. The aid package also includes $26 billion for Israel, humanitarian assistance for Gaza, Sudan, and Haiti, as well as over $8 billion in military support for Taiwan, a move that has been strongly opposed by China.
The passage of the bill comes after months of acrimonious debate among lawmakers over the additional funding for Ukraine. Republican Speaker Mike Johnson, a Trump loyalist, proposed repackaging the measure into four bills, which ultimately secured approval in the House of Representatives on April 20. The bill also allows Biden to confiscate and sell Russian assets to provide funding for reconstruction in Ukraine.
The aid package is seen as an important step in protecting American security and the security of Western democracy. Biden’s administration is already preparing the first tranche of military assistance linked to the bill, with a focus on weapons that could be put to immediate use on the battlefield. The bill also includes legislation to ban TikTok unless it divests from its Chinese parent company.
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