Vote on Ukraine aid
Something is moving in the US Congress
April 16, 2024, 5:08 a.m
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A glimmer of hope for Ukraine: There are to be separate votes in the US House of Representatives on military aid for Ukraine and Israel. The Republican chairman Johnson is thus wriggling out of political paralysis. Whether he will be successful against the hardliners remains uncertain.
With regard to financial aid from the United States to Ukraine, there is movement in the US Parliament after months of standstill. The country attacked by Russia is desperately waiting for further support from its most important ally, but political infighting in the US House of Representatives had severely dampened hopes in Kiev. Now the chairman of the Chamber of Congress, Mike Johnson, announced that he would seek a vote on the aid payments. However, it is unclear to what extent the parliamentary path announced by the Republican will be successful.
The vote should not be about an aid package that has already been approved by the Senate, which, in addition to around 60 billion US dollars in support for Ukraine, also provides 14 billion US dollars for Israel and aid for Taiwan and other partners in the Indo-Pacific. Instead, Johnson plans to break the package into several parts so that aid for Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific can be voted on individually. This would also mean that another vote on the aid would be necessary in the Senate.
Blockade comes from Trump
Johnson had long resisted even scheduling a vote. The Republican, who was only elected to office in October, is under great pressure within his party because there is great resistance to aid to Ukraine on the ultra-right fringe. This resistance was driven not least by former President Donald Trump, who wants to move back into the White House in November. The right-wing hardliners have threatened a vote of no confidence against Johnson in the event of a vote.
MP Marjorie Taylor Greene submitted a first application for this at the end of March. Although a few intermediate parliamentary steps would still be necessary before this could actually happen – Johnson ventured into delicate territory with his announcement on Monday: Because he only has a wafer-thin majority in his chamber, he would have to rely on the votes of Democratic Party lawmakers instructed by President Joe Biden. Johnson’s predecessor Kevin McCarthy fell over such a vote of no confidence in his own party.
The USA is considered Ukraine’s most important ally in the fight against the Russian invasion. Since the war began in February 2022, Biden’s government has provided more than $44 billion (around 40 billion euros) in military aid to Kiev. According to the US government, the funds approved by Congress for Ukraine have been exhausted.