Congress approved a $40 billion aid package for Ukraine Thursday, the latest
tranche of US assistance under President
Joe Biden's promise of unwavering
support for Kyiv in its fight against Russia's invasion.
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The vote was an unusually bipartisan move for harshly divided
Washington.
"Aid for Ukraine goes far beyond charity," Republican Senate
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said.
"The future of American security and core strategic interests will be
shaped by the outcome of this fight," he said ahead of the vote.
- 'Continuity of
government' -
The bundle includes $6 billion earmarked for Ukraine to boost its armored
vehicle inventory and air defense system.
Nearly $9 billion is set aside to help with Ukrainian "continuity of
government," among other items, including humanitarian aid.
Congress already approved almost $14 billion for Ukraine in mid-March, only
weeks after Russia's invasion.
But as fighting has shifted away from the capital and to the eastern and
southern parts of the country, Biden has been calling for another round of
financial support for weeks.
The US president has often repeated his desire to lead in what he depicts as
a great struggle of democracy against authoritarianism. But funds already
designated for Ukraine support were about to run out, he said.
The US House of Representatives had already approved the $40 billion package
-- the equivalent to the 2020 GDP of Cameroon -- last week.
- 'Pay now or pay
later' -
Such bipartisan support is rare in a Congress often divided along party
lines.
"When it comes to Putin, either we pay now or we pay later," said
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who earlier in the conflict took to Twitter
to call for the Russian president to be assassinated.
Though it originally intended to send only weapons of defense, Washington
has since supplied artillery, helicopters and drones to the Ukrainian army,
whose troops are trained to use them in the United States or third countries
before heading back to the front line.
Another $9 billion of the latest package is also set to help the United
States re-supply its own weapons back-stock.
On Wednesday, the Senate additionally confirmed Bridget Brink, a career
diplomat, as the next US ambassador to Ukraine.
The position had been vacant since 2019.
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