War in Ukraine: first step towards US aid of 40 billion dollars for kyiv

A huge new envelope?

The US Congress took a first step on Tuesday towards releasing nearly 40 billion dollars for Ukraine, following Joe Biden in his unwavering support for kyiv.

The House of Representatives voted in favor of the amount.

"With this aid program, America sends a signal to the world of our unwavering determination to support the courageous people of Ukraine until victory" against Moscow, said Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Speaker of the House of Representatives. , a few hours before this text was adopted by elected officials on both sides.

Read alsoWar in Ukraine: how to deliver weapons to kyiv without starting World War III?

This package must now be voted on in the Senate before being promulgated by Joe Biden.

Within this large envelope: 6 billion dollars which should allow Ukraine to equip itself with armored vehicles, strengthen its anti-aircraft defense at a time when fighting is still raging in the east and south of the country.

Nearly 9 billion dollars are also planned to ensure, among other things, "the continuity of Ukrainian democratic institutions", as well as a large humanitarian component.

The American president had been asking for several weeks for a huge budget extension of 33 billion dollars to support Ukraine against the Russian invasion.

But this Monday evening, Democratic and Republican leaders agreed to go even further, finding a compromise around an envelope of 40 billion dollars, the equivalent of Cameroon's GDP in 2020.

Ukraine would have exhausted its last envelope

"Passing this emergency funding quickly is essential to help the people of Ukraine in their fight against Putin the cruel," said Senate Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer on Tuesday.

He said the United States had a "moral obligation" to stand with "our friends in Ukraine."

The upper house should decide on this envelope at the end of the week or at the beginning of next week.

A rarity in a Congress so accustomed to political wrangling: these measures enjoy very broad cross-partisan support.

In a statement on Monday, the US president urged Congress to vote “immediately” on this funding.

There is, according to the American executive, urgency.

US intelligence chief Avril Haines warned on Tuesday that Vladimir Putin, who is preparing for a protracted conflict in Ukraine, was counting on a waning of Western support for kyiv.

The Russian president "is probably counting on a weakening of the determination of the United States and the European Union, when the shortages of food goods and the rise in energy prices will worsen", she warned. .

However, according to Joe Biden, the resources provided by the United States to help Ukraine must dry up within ten days.

Helicopters, drones… and no co-belligerence

"We cannot let our aid distributions stop while we wait for a decision from Congress," said the American president, who regularly expresses his desire to lead the great fight of democracies against authoritarian regimes, without posing as a co-belligerent.

Nearly 9 billion dollars of these funds must also enable the Americans to replenish their own armament stocks.

Traditional ally of American presidents in foreign policy, Congress had already released nearly 14 billion dollars for the Ukrainian crisis in mid-March.

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