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The Senate voted Thursday to provide more than $ 40 billion in new military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, sending the measure to President Biden after a week-long delay sparked by a lone senator’s objection.
The vote was 86 to 11, with all opposition to the package coming from Republicans.
The new package comes as the US aid pipeline to Ukraine threatens to dry up within days amid a war that has entered a new debilitating phase three months after Russia’s initial invasion. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and his Western allies are preparing for a protracted battle in the east and south of the country that has been going on for months or years to repel Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces.
The bill envisions $ 20.1 billion in combined military aid, which is expected to provide the transfer of modern weapons systems, such as Patriot anti-aircraft missiles and long-range artillery. The bill also includes more than $ 8 billion in total economic support for Ukraine, nearly $ 5 billion in global food aid to address potential food shortages caused by Ukraine’s agricultural collapse, and more than $ 1 billion in combined support for refugees. .
Support for the bill is strongly bipartisan – senators voted 88 to 11 in a test vote Tuesday to move the bill – but party leaders were forced to overcome a week of procedural hurdles over Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Who raised objections to the bill. fiscal and geopolitical reasons.
The house approves nearly $ 40 billion in aid to Ukraine as it fights Russian aggression
His delay tactics have angered leaders of both parties, who tried to speed up the passage of the bill last week using a process that requires the consent of all 100 senators.
“This should have been over, but it is disgusting that one member from the other side chose to do a show and block Ukraine’s funding, knowing that he could not actually stop it,” said Majority leader Charles E. Schumer. DNY) said on Wednesday. “Senator Paul’s postponement of Ukraine’s funding for purely political reasons only means strengthening Putin’s hand.
On Tuesday, Paul defended his objection, calling US support for Ukraine “no doubt a noble cause – a cause to which I have great sympathy and support – but a cause for which the Constitution does not sanction or approve.”
“Yes, our national security is threatened – not by Russia’s war against Ukraine, but by Congress’ war against the American taxpayer,” he said. “Most Americans sympathize with Ukraine and want them to repel the Russian invaders. But if Congress was honest, they would take the money elsewhere in the budget or ask the Americans to pay higher taxes or, God forbid, borrow the money from Ukraine instead of giving it to Ukraine. But Congress will do what Congress does best: spend other people’s money.
Paul offered to lift his reservation if Senate leaders agreed to an amendment that would give the existing federal oversight body, the Pentagon’s special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction, oversight of new aid. But Democrats opposed the demand, saying any changes to the bill would further delay it, demanding that the House re-adopt it. Some also opposed the review of the existing inspector general in Afghanistan with Ukraine.
Paul’s views have been repulsed by his own party – including his colleague, Kentucky Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who said Tuesday that “America’s decision to support Ukraine is not a frivolous act of charity.” .
“This serves our own national security and strategic interests,” he said, “so that international borders continue to mean something. It serves our own security and interest in incurring huge costs for Putin’s long campaign of violent imperialism. And it directly and powerfully serves our national interest in deterring potential future aggressive wars before they begin. “
McConnell and three other Republicans paid an unannounced visit to Kyiv last weekend to meet with Zelensky. Speaking clearly to opponents of his own party, McConnell said Thursday: “Anyone who is concerned about the cost of supporting Ukraine’s victory must consider much higher costs if Ukraine loses.”
Ten Republicans besides Paul opposed the aid package in procedural votes this week, with most citing fiscal concerns, but no one opposed a quick follow-up to the bill until the final vote.
The package is worth $ 7 billion more than Biden originally asked for $ 33 billion. He moved forward in the House of Representatives last week after Biden signaled earlier this month that he wanted aid for Ukraine to be moved separately to Capitol Hill from another request for urgent spending – at least $ 10 billion in relief. covid – which is mired in guerrilla politics.
“This assistance was crucial to Ukraine’s success on the battlefield,” Biden said in a statement on May 9. “We cannot allow our aid shipments to stop while we wait for further action by Congress.
The House of Representatives voted last week to move the aid package by 368 votes to 57, with all Democrats and 149 Republicans voting in favor. Fifty-seven Republicans in the House of Representatives opposed the bill.
Thursday’s vote came after the Senate confirmed Wednesday’s career diplomat Bridget A. Brink to serve as US ambassador to Ukraine – making Brink the first full-fledged ambassador to Kyiv since May 2019, when then-President Donald Trump recalled Ambassador Marie Jovanovic .
A former ambassador to Slovakia, Brink was confirmed by a vote less than a month after Biden nominated her for the first time in Ukraine and less than two weeks after Brink’s hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee – fast-paced caused by the Russian invasion and the growing US commitment to aid.
Brink told the commission on May 10th that her top priority was to co-ordinate the flow of military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine amid Russia’s ongoing invasion.
Sumer said on Wednesday that Brink would be an “outstanding” envoy and help Ukraine defeat the invasion launched by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Not having an ambassador really hinders our relationship in ways no one would like to see,” he said, adding that Brink would serve as an important link as the United States continues to help the Ukrainian people withstand brutal and brutal attacks on Russia “
While key lawmakers said it was too early to predict what additional resources Congress might need to devote to the conflict in Ukraine, they acknowledged that more would almost certainly be needed.
But the next key issue for Ukraine to reach Capitol Hill this year may not be funding, but the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO, a move sparked by Russia’s invasion that has led to a reassessment among Finns and Swedes. they fear joining the transatlantic alliance for fear of provoking Russia, with which the two nations share a common border.
Senators from both parties predicted this week that the Senate would quickly ratify the Scandinavian countries’ requests, making them the first new NATO members since Montenegro’s accession in 2017. But it remains unclear whether the vote will be unanimous.
Paul, who voted with Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) against Montenegro’s admission in 2017, said this week that he was still considering the issue. And Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Who raised geopolitical objections to NATO enlargement before the invasion of Ukraine, said on Wednesday that it was not “automatically yes” to the accession of Finland and Sweden.
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