The Capitol, seat of the American Congress, on March 7, 2024 in Washington (AFP/Archives/SAUL LOEB)
After long and difficult negotiations, the American House of Representatives adopted on Saturday a huge aid plan for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, supported by elected officials from both sides.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky immediately welcomed assistance which “will save thousands of lives”, while the American Joe Biden judged that Congress was living up to “History”.
Russia, on the other hand, affirmed that this aid “will kill even more Ukrainians because of the Kiev regime”.
Parliamentarians voted in quick succession for this gigantic envelope of 95 billion dollars, requested for months by President Biden.
The text on Ukraine provides 61 billion to help kyiv against Russia; that on Israel includes several billion dollars to notably strengthen the Israeli anti-missile shield, called “Iron Dome”.
Elected officials also voted on a text to stand up to China and help Taiwan, and adopted a measure issuing an ultimatum to TikTok, which provides for the ban of the application in the United States unless the social network does not cut its ties with its parent company ByteDance, and more broadly with China.
– Acrimonious talks –
A Russian sapper inspects the rubble of a ruined building in Mariupol, April 19, 2024 in Ukraine under Russian control (AFP/-)
In the hemicycle, parliamentarians waved Ukrainian flags to the boos of Trumpist elected officials.
The texts should be quickly examined by the Senate, which could consider the measures as early as Tuesday, indicated the leader of the Democrats in the Senate, Chuck Schumer.
It is the result of months of acrimonious negotiations, comings and goings of the Ukrainian president in Washington and pressure from allies around the world.
At the heart of all tensions: the financing of the war in Ukraine.
The United States is kyiv’s main military backer, but Congress has not passed a major package for its ally in nearly a year and a half, mainly due to partisan wrangling.
Democrat Joe Biden and his party in Congress are very supportive of new aid for Ukraine, at war with Russia.
But the Republicans, led by Donald Trump, are increasingly reluctant to finance a conflict which is getting bogged down.
– “Too late”? –
The European Union welcomed the approval of aid to Ukraine, saying it was “a clear message to the Kremlin.”
More circumspect, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, a fervent defender of kyiv, thanked the United States but highlighted the delay in adopting the assistance.
“Better late than too late. And I hope it’s not too late for Ukraine,” he wrote on X.
In the middle of an election year, the issue has transformed in the United States into a remote duel between the two presidential candidates.
Republican leader Mike Johnson, in Washington, April 20, 2024 (AFP/Drew ANGERER)
After months of procrastination, the Republican leader of the House, Mike Johnson, ended up supporting the package for Ukraine.
“To put it bluntly: I would rather send ammunition to Ukraine than send our boys to fight,” he pleaded, not without a certain emotion.
This aid plan — primarily military and economic assistance — also authorizes President Biden to confiscate and sell Russian assets to be used to finance the reconstruction of Ukraine.
– Israel, Gaza, TikTok –
Among the other parts of the big plan: 13 billion dollars in military assistance to the historic ally of the United States, Israel, at war with Hamas.
A building destroyed by Israeli bombardment in Gaza, April 18, 2024 (AFP/-)
More than nine billion dollars are also planned to “respond to the urgent need for humanitarian aid in Gaza and other vulnerable populations around the world”, according to a summary of the text.
As Joe Biden had demanded, this bill devotes eight billion dollars to stand up to China militarily and come to the aid of Taiwan.
She also foresees a threat of banning TikTok in the United States.
The video platform is accused of allowing Beijing to spy on and manipulate its 170 million users in the United States.
The Biden administration said it was “very supportive” of all these measures.
The president’s spokesperson also indicated on Friday that the flow of American aid to Ukraine would resume “immediately” after the adoption of this text by both houses of Congress.
But this adoption could cost Republican leader Mike Johnson his position: a handful of conservative elected officials, fiercely opposed to aid to Ukraine, have promised to do everything to remove the “speaker” in order to punish him for his support.
© 2024 AFP
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