 "Speaker of the House Mike Johnson stands in the House of Representatives. Reuters file")
In what could be seen as a major breakthrough in Ukraine’s response to Russia’s assault, the US House of Representatives may finally vote on providing additional aid to Kyiv. The vote will also cover aid to Israel and Taiwan.
Since February this year, a $60 billion military package to Ukraine has been stuck in transit after the Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson refused to pass the Senate-approved aid. Kyiv’s aid is part of a $95 billion national security supplemental aid package, the remaining amount of which is meant for Israel and Taiwan.
On Wednesday, however, Johnson sent a text message to House Republicans that said that draft legislation would “soon” be published on three separate bills that would send additional money to Israel, Taiwan and Ukraine.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has time and again urged Washington to pass the military package and failing to do so would lead to “Ukraine’s defeat in the war.”
More recently, Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal told BBC, “If we will not protect… Ukraine will fall.
“So the global, the global system of security will be destroyed… and all the world will need to find… a new system of security. Or, there will be many conflicts, many such kinds of wars, and in the end of the day, it could lead to the Third World War,” he added.
The US House, which is under the control of Republicans owing to a thin margin, will go to vote on Saturday. It is, however, uncertain if any of the bills will pass the Senate after Wisconsin Republican Mike Gallagher steps down.
Therefore, Johnson might have to bag the support of Democrats to get the bills passed.
Apart from the military aid packages, a fourth bill will include provisions to seize Russian assets and impose additional sanctions on Moscow, China and Iran.