Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed gratitude to the US lawmakers after they voted in favour of providing aid packages to the two conflict-stricken nations.
The remarks from the two world leaders came after the US House of Representatives voted in favour of providing a whopping $95.3 billion foreign aid package to both countries along with other American allies.
According to NBC News, the House voted in favour of two long-awaited bills which will provide $60.8 billion in aid to Ukraine and $26 billion in aid to Israel. The two bills will now sit at the US Senate desk for the body’s stamp of approval.
The passage of bills came weeks after the Senate passed a mammoth bill with aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan along with funding for border security. US Speaker of the House Mike Johnson decided not to table that bill, instead, he opted to put the three separate bills with aid for the three nations for voting.
Zelenskyy hails the decision
The Ukrainian leader took to X, formally known as Twitter, to express gratitude over the bill. “Today, we received the awaited decision on the US aid package that we long fought for. And a very significant one. Our warriors on the front lines, as well as our cities and villages suffering from Russian terror, will feel it,” Zelenskyy said in a statement.
Today, we received the awaited decision on the US aid package that we long fought for. And a very significant one. Our warriors on the front lines, as well as our cities and villages suffering from Russian terror, will feel it.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 20, 2024
The U.S. House of Representatives voted on it… pic.twitter.com/G6z3PxsOMg
Impact Shorts
More Shorts“I thank everyone who supported our package, this is a solution for protecting life. I personally thank Speaker Mike Johnson and all American hearts who believe, as we do in Ukraine, that Russian evil must not be winning. I am hopeful that the bill will be quite quickly passed by the United States Senate and sent to President Biden,” he added.
I am grateful to the United States House of Representatives, both parties, and personally Speaker Mike Johnson for the decision that keeps history on the right track.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 20, 2024
Democracy and freedom will always have global significance and will never fail as long as America helps to…
Calling the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war a fight for “democracy and freedom,” the Ukrainian president described the bill as vital.
“Democracy and freedom will always have global significance and will never fail as long as America helps to protect it. The vital US aid bill passed today by the House will keep the war from expanding, save thousands and thousands of lives, and help both of our nations to become stronger,” he concluded.
What did Netanyahu say?
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasised that the voting on the aid package demonstrated America’s “bipartisan support” for Israel. “The US Congress just overwhelmingly passed a much-appreciated aid bill that demonstrates strong bipartisan support for Israel and defends Western civilization. Thank you, friends, thank you America!” the Israeli premier wrote on X.
The US Congress just overwhelmingly passed a much appreciated aid bill that demonstrates strong bipartisan support for Israel and defends Western civilization. Thank you friends, thank you America!
— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) April 20, 2024
Biden lauds the decision
Shortly after the bill was passed, US President Joe Bide said that a bipartisan group of lawmakers voted to “send a clear message about the power of American leadership on the world stage.”
“At this critical inflection point, they came together to answer history’s call, passing urgently needed national security legislation that I have fought for months to secure,” he furthered.
It is important to note that the lower chamber also voted to provide $8.12 billion in aid to Taiwan.