After months of waiting, controversy and attempts to find a compromise, the US House has given the green light to four bills containing 95 billion dollars in financing, 61 of which headed toUkraine, 26 ad Israel, 8 to US allies in the Indo-Pacific and 9 for humanitarian assistance for civilians in war zones, including Gaza. There were 311 votes in favour, 112 against.
The four measures will now pass to the Senate and will then be signed by the President. Passes, both, considered safe.
“Today, members of both parties in the House voted to advance our national security interests and send a clear message about the power of American leadership on the world stage. At this critical turning point they have come together to answer the call of history, passing urgently needed national security legislation that I have fought for months,” said the US President. Joe Biden after the approval of the Chamber.
US aid to Ukraine
The Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky can finally breathe a sigh of relief. The long-awaited and necessary US aid is about to arrive. “I am grateful, the bill will prevent the war from spreading, it will save thousands and thousands of lives”, commented Zelensky.
The Secretary General of NATO is also satisfied Jens Stoltenberg, according to which the new package “makes us all safer, in Europe and North America” while the Kremlin claims that the aid package “will kill even more Ukrainians because of the regime in Kiev”.
In detail, the law for Kiev allocates 61 billion, of which 23 will remain in the US to replenish the arsenals, while 7,8 billion of direct financial aid to the Ukrainian budget will be in the form of a loan that can be canceled by the president after the elections of November 5: one concession in homage to Donald Trump, who if he returns to the White House will be able to demand the repayment of the sum. There is also an obligation for the president to immediately transfer the long-range Atacms missiles to Ukraine, unless American national interests are at risk.
The first deliveries of new military supplies are expected in Ukraine already by next week. The first batch will include artillery ammunition (starting from 155 mm ones) and air defense means such as Patriot, those that Kiev has been asking for for months in order to use them to defend itself from the Russian offensive.
The US vote comes in fact in the wake of the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine and the ever greater difficulties on the Kiev front. Developments that led the Republican speaker of the House Mike Johnson to defy the risk of being disheartened by the Trumpian faction, opposed to funds for Kiev, and to bring the maxi foreign aid package already approved by the Senate two months ago but splitting it into four separate bills. A move - also supported by the White House - to allow everyone to express their dissent (Republicans on aid to Ukraine, progressives on aid to Israel) but cashing in on the result with bipartisan majorities guaranteed by the decisive support of the Democrats.
US military advisors at the embassy in Kiev
Meanwhile, the US is considering sending additional military advisers to its embassy in Kiev, in a new demonstration of American commitment to Ukraine as Russia appears to gain momentum in the conflict.
According to reports at Politico by Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder, the advisors will be tasked with advising and supporting the Ukrainian government and military.
Aid to Israel
The law for Israel allocates 26 billion, largely intended to replenish the ally's arsenals. Nine billion instead are allocated to aid in Gaza. US aid to Israel "defends Western civilization", the Israeli prime minister said Benyamin Netanyahu after the US House gave the green light to the aid package for Israel.
The reaction was also immediate Palestinian presidency who said the U.S. House of Representatives' approval of billions of dollars in new military aid to Israel marks "an aggression against the Palestinian people." The money "would result in thousands of Palestinian casualties in the Gaza Strip." and in the West Bank, specified Nabil Abu Rudeina, spokesman for Palestinian President Abu Mazen, calling it a "dangerous escalation".
