At the signing ceremony of the Law on Leasing-Leasing for the Defense of Democracy in Ukraine on Monday afternoon, Biden said: “The atrocities committed by the Russians are simply out of pallor.
“I am signing a bill that provides another important tool in our efforts to support the government of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people in their struggle to defend their country and democracy against (Russian President Vladimir Putin’s) brutal war – and it is brutal. “Biden said as he was with Vice President Kamala Harris and the bill’s sponsors, Indiana Republican Victoria Sparz, Michigan Republican Elisa Slotkin and Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin.
Earlier Monday, Putin addressed Russia’s annual Victory Day. Although many have speculated that the Russian leader may reveal more about his plans in Ukraine, Putin has given little clue as to the direction of the conflict.
White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Putin’s claims that NATO was “threatening our borders” were “clearly false and absurd.”
“What we have seen President Putin do is give a version of revisionist history that has taken the form of misinformation that we have seen all too often as a Russian book,” Psaki told reporters at the White House.
At the signing of the Oval Office, Biden noted that Sunday is VE Day, marking the end of World War II in Europe, and Monday is Europe Day, marking the anniversary of the European integration efforts that led to the creation of the European Union. And he accused Putin of using the war to bring “insane destruction to Europe.”
The new law, which eases some of the US requirements to provide or lease military equipment to Ukraine, was passed by a bipartisan majority in the US House of Representatives and Senate. His sponsors say the legislation gives Biden much broader powers to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia, and is concerned with how the United States can deliver weapons to Ukraine more quickly.
“This legislation will allow us to provide the necessary defense equipment for Ukraine in a timely manner to protect itself from Mr Putin’s aggression. It is also a clear message to our NATO allies that they need to step up further as we wait to see how we can make sure that Ukraine is successful in this military operation initiated by Mr Putin, “Cardin said last month. the adoption of the bill.
The signing of the bill comes as Biden continues to seek billions in additional funding for the war. In late April, he asked Congress for $ 33 billion in aid to Ukraine. The proposal was much larger than the other packages presented, and is more than twice the $ 13.6 billion infusion of military and humanitarian aid approved by Congress in March.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, was unobtrusive when asked last week if Democrats would seek to link the blocked $ 10 billion Covid-19 relief bill to $ 33 billion in funding for Ukraine.
The aid package for Ukraine is still being drafted, but Senate Republicans have insisted that the two bills are moving in different directions so that the bill on Ukraine can be passed quickly – and Biden told congressional leaders to move the aid package to Ukraine first without $ 10 billion in Covid aid, according to a source in Congress.
The White House does not want the package with Ukraine to sink into the hall, although Democrats have insisted on tying the two together for fears that the US response to the pandemic could be delayed.
Democrats are now expected to move separately, starting in the House of Representatives and immediately after this week.
This story has been updated with additional reports.
CNN’s Manu Raju, Ryan Nobles, Ali Zaslav, Daniela Diaz and DJ Judd contributed to the report.
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