The U.S. lawmakers were urged by the White House on Tuesday to quickly approve a foreign aid package worth $95 billion for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, despite facing resistance from the Republican-controlled House of Representatives.

According to White House National Security communications adviser John Kirby, failing to complete this task will not only affect our allies and partners, but also send a message to potential enemies that the United States is unreliable and not interested in being a leader on the global stage.

On Tuesday, the aid package was passed by the U.S. Senate with a 70-29 vote. Over a dozen Republicans voted with the majority Democrats in favor.

The Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, promptly expressed his appreciation, stating that the aid from the U.S. is helping to protect human lives from Russian acts of terror.

On X, Zelenskyy stated that American aid is helping to bring about peace in Ukraine and promote global stability, leading to improved safety and prosperity for both Americans and the rest of the free world.

Chuck Schumer, the majority leader of the Senate, stated that this bill is one of the most important and influential pieces of legislation to be passed by the Senate. It has a significant impact not only on our national security but also on the security of our allies and the democratic system.

He referenced the unanimous support from both parties and expressed certainty that a vote in the House would result in the same way.

However, House Republicans have linked their opposition to providing additional aid to Ukraine with a demand for addressing security concerns at the U.S.-Mexico border.

On Monday, House Speaker Mike Johnson stated that the main focus should be on “protecting America’s border first, rather than providing extra foreign assistance globally.” He also pointed out that the current Senate bill does not address the most urgent problem facing our nation.

Last week, Senate Republicans prevented the progress of a proposal that included aid for foreign countries and measures to strengthen restrictions at the U.S.-Mexico border in an effort to reduce the influx of thousands of migrants entering the United States daily.

The border measure was deemed insufficiently strict by former U.S. President Donald Trump, and Republican lawmakers followed suit in opposing it.

The Senate proceeded with a separate aid package, which approved on Tuesday, includes $61 billion for Ukraine, $14 billion for Israel, nearly $5 billion to assist allies in the Indo-Pacific region, such as Taiwan, and additional aid.

On December 27, 2023, the Pentagon delivered the final authorized shipment of assistance to Ukraine.

In a statement on Tuesday, President Joe Biden emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating that waiting any longer would be costly. This is especially true for Ukraine, where reports have emerged of their troops running out of ammunition on the front lines due to ongoing attacks by Russian forces. Biden also noted Putin’s desire to dominate the Ukrainian people.

Republicans have generally supported more aid for Israel’s war against Hamas militants, although many U.S. lawmakers, especially progressive Democrats, have vocally condemned Israel for the extent of its counteroffensive that Palestinian health officials say has killed more than 28,000 people in Gaza after the Hamas terror attack in October that Israel says killed 1,200.

However, certain conservative Republican legislators, who are often in line with Trump’s views, have expressed growing resistance towards providing additional aid to Ukraine in their battle against the Russian invasion. This puts the approval of the assistance at risk, despite the majority of Democratic legislators supporting it.

Senator Tommy Tuberville, a Republican, stated on Monday during a Senate session that our country has provided Ukraine with over $120 billion. This amount of money should have been sufficient to protect all of Ukraine’s borders, but it appears that this is not the case. As expected, the $120 billion given to Ukraine has led to a prolonged standstill, causing the loss of countless lives from both Ukraine and Russia.

Source: voanews.com