Biden signs Ukraine bill, seeks $40B aid, inside Putin rejoinder
WASHINGTON (AP) — Washington sought to portray a unified front opposed to Russia's invasion of Ukraine Monday while President Joe Biden signed a bipartisan measure to reboot the World War II-era "lend-lease" program, which helped defeat Nazi Germany, to bolster Kyiv with every one other accompanied by Eastern European allies.
The signing comes while the U.S. Congress is poised to unleash billions additional to fight the war opposed to Russia — accompanied by Democrats preparing $40 billion inside military with every one other accompanied by humanitarian aid, larger than the $33 billion package Biden has requested.
It all serves while a rejoinder to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has seized on Victory inside Europe Day — the anniversary of Germany's unconditional surrender inside 1945 with every one other accompanied by Russia's biggest patriotic holiday — to rally his people behind the invasion.
"This assistance has been critical to Ukraine's favourable consequence on the battlefield," Biden said inside a statement.
Biden said it was acute that Congress agree with the following Ukraine assistance package to retain away from some cutting in inside military supplies actuality sent to assist fight the war, accompanied by a crucial deadline coming inside 10 days.
"We cannot permit our shipments of assistance to place an extremity to while we await further Congressional action," he said. He urged Congress to take deed — with every one other accompanied by "to do so quickly."
Russia-Ukraine war
Live updates | Russia-Ukraine War
As Putin marks Victory Day, his troops build little war gains
Putin's Victory Day speech passionate nevertheless empty
'Everything shook': Last civilians depart from Ukraine steel mill
In a letter delivered to Capitol Hill on Monday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin with every one other accompanied by Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Congress to take deed earlier to May 19, when the existing drawdown funds sprint out. The Pentagon has by that hour dated sent or committed all nevertheless $100 million of the $3.5 billion inside weapons with every one other accompanied by apparatus that it tin dispatch to Ukraine from its existing stockpiles. And that final $100 million is expected to exist used no indeed subsequent than May 19, they said.
"In short, we need your help," they said inside the letter, which was obtained by The Associated Press. "The ability to sketch upon existing DoD stocks has been a critical tool inside our efforts to support the Ukrainians inside their fight opposed to Russian aggression, allowing us to fast spring apparatus with every one other accompanied by build sure a sustained run of safety assistance to Ukraine."
The resolve from Biden with every one other accompanied by Congress to carry on accompanied by support for Ukraine has been lasting, nevertheless too surprising. Still, while the months-long war accompanied by Russia grinds on, the bipartisan showing for Ukraine will exist tested while the U.S. with every one other accompanied by allies are drawn closer in the direction of the conflict.
The House could ballot while in a short time while this week on the bolstered Ukraine assistance package, sending the legislation to the Senate, which is employed to corroborate Biden's nominee Bridget Brink while the new Ukrainian ambassador. The House's Tuesday scheme mentioned the Ukraine legislation, nevertheless it was unclear how firm that was.
With the president's communal gathering holding only the slimmest majorities inside the House with every one other accompanied by Senate, Republican collaboration is preferred, if not vital inside some cases, for transit of the president's master scheme in the direction of the region.
"I believe we will exist intelligent to do it while fast while possible," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said over the weekend concerning an emerging assistance package. "We have great bipartisanship inside terms of our support for the fight for democracy that the people of Ukraine are making."
Despite their differences over Biden's approach to overseas policy with every one other accompanied by perceived missteps inside confronting Russia, when it comes to Ukraine the members of the House with every one other accompanied by Senate have held with every one other to support the president's strategy.
The lend-lease invoice that Biden signed into rules and regulations Monday revives the master scheme to additional fast dispatch military apparatus to Ukraine. Launched throughout World War II, lend-lease signaled the U.S. would become what Franklin D. Roosevelt called the "arsenal of democracy" helping Britain with every one other accompanied by the allies fight Nazi Germany.
Before signing the bill, Biden said "Putin's war" was "once additional bringing wanton demolition of Europe," sketch allude to of to the significance of the day.
Flanked by set of two Democratic lawmakers with every one other accompanied by one Republican, Biden signed the bill, which had widespread bipartisan support. It sailed into and not here of the Senate last month accompanied by unanimous agreement, lacking flat the need for a ceremonial roll call vote. It passed overwhelmingly inside the House, sketch opposition from fair 10 Republicans.
"It really matters," Biden said of the bipartisan support for Ukraine. "It matters."
One of the bill's leader Republican sponsors, Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, said inside a statement the measure will present with Ukraine "the upper hand opposed to Russia, with every one other accompanied by I'm pleased America could take deed while the arsenal of democracy for this critical partner."
Other measures, including efforts to gash off Russian lubricant imports to the U.S. with every one other accompanied by calls to inquire into Putin for war crimes, have too gained widespread support, though some lawmakers have pushed Biden to do flat more.
"While President Putin with every one other accompanied by the Russian people celebrated Victory Day today, we're seeing Russian forces commit war crimes with every one other accompanied by atrocities inside Ukraine, while they capture inside a brutal war that is causing so a a large amount of suffering with every one other accompanied by needless destruction," said White House press secretary Jen Psaki. She said Putin was "perverting" history to try to "justify his unprovoked with every one other accompanied by unjustified war."
Biden acknowledged his appeal for additional inside military with every one other accompanied by humanitarian assistance for Ukraine would have to exist separated from money he too sought from Congress to address the COVID-19 crisis at home.
Decoupling the set of two funding requests would exist a setback for the president's push for additional COVID-19 spending, nevertheless a incline to the political the real world of the Congress.
Republicans inside Congress are resisting spending additional money at place of residence while the pandemic crisis shifts to a new phase, with every one other accompanied by Biden did not want to delay money for Ukraine by trying to debate the matter further.
Biden said he was told by congressional leaders inside both parties that keeping the set of two spending packages linked would slow down action.
"We cannot pay for delay inside this vital war effort," Biden said inside the statement. "Hence, I am prepared to receive that these set of two measures go separately, so that the Ukrainian assistance invoice tin obtain to my desk just away."
As the now bolstered Ukraine package makes its way into and not here of the House with every one other accompanied by Senate, accompanied by votes possible soon, lawmakers are showing no indeed signs of flinching. Countless lawmakers have made weekend excursions to the neighbourhood to see firsthand the devastation of the war on Ukraine with every one other accompanied by surrounding countries, while additional than 5 million refugees run the country.
Rather than fight the spending overseas — while had been an increasingly well liked viewpoint throughout the Trump epoch — some lawmakers inside both parties want to boost the amount of U.S. assistance actuality sent to Ukraine.
___
Associated Press writers Alan Fram, Lolita C. Baldor with every one other accompanied by Will Weissert contributed to this report.
0 Comments