The United States Senate has passed a $95bn bill approving aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.
The long-delayed measure won approval from the upper house early on Tuesday. The legislation will now head to the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, where its chances of becoming law are slim.
The bill, which would open the way for desperately needed funding for Ukraine as it fights Russia’s invasion, has been delayed for months by Republican hardliners under the influence of former President Donald Trump.
However, a bipartisan push supported by moderates from the party helped it across the line in a rare all-night session in the Democrat-controlled Senate. The vote saw 22 Republicans voting with Democrats to pass the package 70-29.
Still, the bill faces an uncertain fate, with several right-wing Republican lawmakers in the House already saying they will block it. They insist that the $61bn tranche that the bill would allocate to Ukraine should be spent instead on domestic issues such as border security.
House Speaker Mike Johnson has made it clear that it could be weeks or months before Congress sends the legislation to President Joe Biden’s desk.
Supporters argue that abandoning Ukraine will embolden Russia and risk a wider pushback of global democracy.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer lauded Senators who had voted in favour of the bill.
“It’s certainly been years, perhaps decades, since the Senate has passed a bill that so greatly impacts not just our national security, not just the security of our allies, but the security of western democracy,” he asserted.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also praised the passage of the legislation.
“The world is looking for American leadership to remain steadfast, help protect lives, and preserve freedom,” he wrote on X. He added that the bill would aid “global stability, resulting in increased security and prosperity for all Americans and all the free world”
As Ukraine’s biggest financial supporter, US aid is crucial for Kyiv as it seeks to push back against Russia’s invasion. Ukrainian officials have warned of weapons shortages, while finance is needed to maintain the functioning of the state.
The EU finally gave the green light to its own delayed 50-billion-euro ($54bn) aid package at the start of the month.
However, US aid for Ukraine faces powerful headwinds in the House, where Trump’s interests hold greater sway with Republicans, who control the chamber by a thin majority.
As well as the $61 billion for Ukraine, the bill includes $14 billion for Israel in its war in Gaza, and $4.83 billion to support partners in the Indo-Pacific, including Taiwan and deter aggression by China.
The legislation would also provide $9.15 billion in humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza and the West Bank, Ukraine and other conflict zones around the globe.
