US House of Representatives Approves Historic $61 Billion Aid Package for Ukraine

The US House of Representatives has approved a $61 billion aid package for Ukraine. The support was vital to the country which was attacked by Russia more than two years ago and has been at war ever since.

According to Ukrainian President Zelensky, the lack of new support from the US could mean the end of Ukraine and even trigger the Second World War. “Every missile, every drone must be shot down,” he said earlier. “The world can make this happen, our partners can make this happen.”

Ukraine produces a large number of drones itself, but relies heavily on allies for other weapons. Europe has a big problem increase production.

In the US it was not clear for a long time whether the support would come, although the Senate previously approved a similar plan. But the Senate and the House are not the same: in the Senate the Democrats have a majority, in the House of Representatives there is a narrow Republican majority.

Some Republicans in the House, led by presidential candidate Trump, opposed the plan for months. Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson was also among those opponents, but he appeared to have been ousted last week. “I can make a selfish choice, but I am doing what I think is right here. Military support for Ukraine is extremely important,” he said in an interview. In that he also said that if the West is not careful, Putin will move on to the Baltic states or Poland soon.

To pass the billions of aid to Ukraine through, Johnson chose, among other things, to put the country’s aid package to a separate vote. In the Senate it was a combined aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan worth more than 95 billion dollars. Also, part of the money for Ukraine is not given now, but it is a loan. The House has also accepted the other parts of the original aid package.