After several months of tug-of-war, US representatives voted for $61 billion in military aid to Ukraine

After months of waiting, the US House of Representatives approved more than $61 billion worth of military aid to Ukraine, part of a broader nearly $95 billion package that also includes aid to Israel and Taiwan and other allies.

The decision was supported by both major parties, with 210 Democrats and 101 Republicans voting for it, while 112 Republicans voted against it. The bill was introduced by House Speaker Mike Johnson, a member of the Republican Party, and faced significant opposition within his own party. Johnson introduced several bills, the most important of which dealt with military subsidies.

In the package of measures, in addition to Ukraine, Israel also receives significant support, worth nearly 26 billion dollars, which includes the replacement of stocks and the financing of missile defense systems such as Iron Dome and Iron Beam. Allies in the Asia-Pacific region, especially Taiwan, also receive significant aid, amounting to more than $8 billion.

The package also includes some humanitarian aid, such as for Haiti, Sudan and Gaza, although direct US funding to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Gaza (UNRWA) has been suspended until March 2025.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the American support, highlighting its importance in maintaining the country’s defense capability and preventing the spread of war. US President Joe Biden also welcomed the decision, stressing that it strengthens the international leadership role of the United States and provides the necessary support for Ukraine and Israel in the face of threats to them.

The passage of the measures drew sharp criticism from within his own party for Speaker Mike Johnson, who needed Democratic votes to pass the legislation, which some conservative Republicans saw as a compromise. In Thursday’s CNN analysis, Johnson wrote about how, after half a year as Speaker of the House of Representatives, he has reached the point reached by several of his conservative predecessors: he has to choose between America’s national interests and the far-right voices of his party.

Domestic political struggles around the Ukraine aid package

After a long wait, the military aid package intended for Ukraine was put on the agenda in the American House of Representatives, which became the center of domestic political games. The ratio of those who voted for the package to those who voted against it indicates the division within the parties, especially among Republicans.

In his Telex summary, he details that Donald Trump, the former president and Republican presidential candidate, and members of the extreme right of the party actively opposed aid to Ukraine, for both ideological and tactical reasons. The adoption of the aid package was repeatedly linked to the issue of the security of the US-Mexico border, which became an important election issue for Republicans.

In the House of Representatives, the aid packages were voted on separately, allowing the representatives to support or reject the individual elements according to their conscience. Nevertheless, the packages were finally consolidated, and after approval by the Senate, the signature of President Joe Biden will be the final moment of this long political struggle.

The adoption of the package came under considerable diplomatic pressure, including over Israel’s attacks on Iran and concerns among the Baltic states that if Ukraine falls, the Baltic states could be the next targets.

The speaker, Republican Mike Johnson, has faced criticism within his own party for seeking Democratic support to pass the measures. The support divides the party, where despite threats from the far right, a majority of moderate Republicans support the aid package, stressing the importance of helping Ukraine to preserve the international security system.

After the decision of the House of Representatives, they expect the fast procedure of the Senate so that the aid reaches its destination as soon as possible, especially in the case of Ukraine, where the combat situation is becoming more and more desperate.