Biden on Monday told Zelensky the U.S. has a “lasting commitment to supporting Ukraine as it defends its freedom against Russian aggression” and that “his administration will quickly provide significant new security assistance packages to meet Ukraine’s urgent battlefield and air defense needs as soon as the Senate passes the national security supplemental and he signs it into law.”
The president also told Zelensky that economic assistance from the U.S. aims to help Ukraine maintain financial stability, build infrastructure following attacks from Russia and support reform while Ukraine moves toward Euro-Atlantic integration.
The Senate is set to vote Tuesday to advance a $95 billion foreign aid package that includes $61 billion for Ukraine, which the House passed over the weekend.
The Senate is widely expected to approve the foreign aid package this week after 22 of 49 Senate Republicans voted for a similar bill when it passed the Senate in February.
After months of fighting between the parties, across the chambers and within the House Republican conference, the lower chamber on Saturday approved a massive new round of foreign aid, combining billions of dollars in military help for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with billions more in humanitarian assistance for Gaza and other war zones around the globe.
After the House passed the legislation, Zelensky thanked lawmakers “for the decision that keeps history on the right track.”
While a victory for Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), his decision to champion new foreign aid has come with stark political risks, infuriating conservatives who were already up in arms over his willingness to cut deals with Biden on big-ticket legislation like extending federal funding and reauthorizing government surveillance powers.
Read the full report at TheHill.com.
