Ukraine Russia war: US House passes crucial aid deal worth $61bn

 US House Approves $61bn Military Aid for Ukraine

After much delay and opposition, the US House of Representatives has approved a $61bn (£49bn) military aid package for Ukraine to aid in its fight against Russia's invasion. The bipartisan deal faced vocal opponents in Congress, with some Republicans arguing that more than a third of the package would be dedicated to replenishing weapons and ammunition.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the US support as "vital," stating that it would help keep the war from expanding and save thousands of lives. The aid includes more than $9bn (£7.28bn) of economic assistance in the form of "forgivable loans" and is expected to provide Ukraine with much-needed weapons and ammunition systems.

US House passes crucial aid deal worth $61bn

The package will now go to the Senate for approval before being signed into law by President Joe Biden. Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths and injuries on both sides and forcing millions of Ukrainians to flee their homes.

The aid is desperately needed, as Ukraine's soldiers are running low on munitions and struggling to contain invading Russian troops. The head of Ukraine's military warned last weekend that the battlefield situation in the east of the country had "significantly worsened" as Russia intensified its armored assaults.

The foreign aid package passed on Saturday also includes $26.4bn (£21.34bn) in military support for Israel and $8.1bn (£6.55bn) in funding for allies in the Asia-Pacific, including Taiwan, to "counter communist China."

NATO allies to provide more weapons to Ukraine, Stoltenberg says

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg announced on Friday that the alliance is deploying parts of its combat-ready response force and will continue to provide military aid to Ukraine, including air defenses, in response to Russia's attempts to topple the Ukrainian government.

NATO allies to provide more weapons to Ukraine, Stoltenberg says

Speaking at a news conference following a virtual meeting of NATO leaders, Stoltenberg stated that the alliance has observed rhetoric and messages indicating that Russia's goal is to remove the democratically elected government in Kyiv.

Some of NATO's 30 allies have announced the types of weapons they will supply Ukraine, including air defenses, although Stoltenberg did not provide specific details. "Allies are very committed to continue to provide support," he said.

Additionally, NATO is deploying elements of its rapid response force, which consists of land, air, maritime, and special operations forces, on allied territory. "We are now deploying the NATO response force for the first time in the context of collective defense," Stoltenberg said.

Ukraine Russia war: US House passes crucial aid deal worth $61bn

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the significant boost in aid would supplement the tens of billions of assistance being provided to Ukraine by European allies. Ukraine deserves all the support it can get against Russia, said EU chiefs Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel in a joint statement.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the package would "make the United States of America richer, further ruin Ukraine and result in the deaths of even more Ukrainians."

Ukraine Forces Fire Mortar

The vote was met with cheers and applause in the House, with some representatives waving Ukrainian flags. The billions of dollars in new aid is expected to sustain the Ukrainian war effort in the months ahead. However, if Republicans gain more power in Congress or take back the White House, further US support seems increasingly unlikely.

Separately, the House also passed a bill that would force the China-based owner of the TikTok social media platform to either sell its stake or face a ban in the US.