With a bipartisan majority, the US House approves after an embarrassing stalemate of months the bills on aid to Kiev, Israel and Taiwan for a total of 95 billion dollars, together with other measures ranging from the ban on TikTok to the use of Russian assets frozen until immigration. A much-needed green light for Volodymr Zelensky who rejoices "for the decision that keeps history on the right path. Democracy and freedom will always have a global significance and will never fail as long as America helps to protect them". Applause also from NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, according to whom the new package "makes us all safer, in Europe and North America" while the Kremlin claims that the aid package "will kill even more Ukrainians because of the regime in Kiev" .
The vote comes in the wake of the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine and the ever-increasing difficulties on the Kiev front. Even today there were attacks and victims on both fronts. Just as tensions are high in the Middle East, following the direct duel between Israel and Iran. Developments that led the Republican speaker of the House Mike Johnson to defy the risk of being disheartened by the Trumpian faction, opposed to funds for Kiev, and to bring to the chamber the maxi foreign aid package already approved by the Senate two months ago but separating it into four separate draft laws. A move - also supported by the White House - to allow everyone to express their dissent (the Republicans on aid to Ukraine, the progressives on aid to Israel) but cashing in on the result with bipartisan majorities guaranteed by the decisive support of the Democrats. As in the test on the procedural vote on Friday, which ended 316 to 94, with 165 Democrats in favor, a higher number than the 151 Republicans.
“Today, members of both parties in the House voted to advance our national security interests and send a clear message about the power of American leadership on the world stage,” Biden says with satisfaction. The law for Kiev provides for 60 billion, of which 23 will remain in the USA to replenish the US arsenals, while 7.8 billion of direct financial aid to the Ukrainian budget will be in the form of a loan that can be canceled by the president, after the elections of 5 November: a concession in homage to Donald Trump, who if he returns to the White House will be able to demand the repayment of the sum. There is also an obligation for the president to immediately transfer the long-range Atacms missiles to Ukraine, unless American national interests are at risk.
The Pentagon has already made it known that it is ready to send the first war supply within a few days, after the approval of the Senate and Biden's signature (expected over the weekend): next week Kiev could have new artillery pieces, including 155 mm ammunition, and air defense systems, such as the Patriot. The law allocates 26 billion for Israel, largely intended to replenish the ally's arsenals. However, nine are for aid to Gaza: a way to overcome the reservations of the progressive Democrats, worried about the growing humanitarian catastrophe in the Strip. However, Israel is satisfied because the US military aid "sends a strong message to our enemies". In a third measure there is 8.1 billion for the Indo-Pacific, where Taiwan accounts for the lion's share. The Chamber also approved measures to ban Tiktok if it were not given up, provoking a reaction from the Chinese app which claimed it was a violation of freedom of expression. And the green light is given to the use of Russian assets frozen in the US for the reconstruction of Ukraine, a step that the G7 is also discussing. A final measure provides for a crackdown on immigration. Meanwhile, Moscow and Kiev continue the fighting, accusing each other of having caused civilian casualties, at least three on each side.
A Russian raid killed one man in the central Dnipropetrovsk region, while artillery attacks on residential buildings in the northeastern city of Vovchansk - in the Kharkiv region - left two more people dead. Missiles also hit Odessa, where an unspecified "infrastructure" was hit. Ukrainian drone attacks targeted eight Russian regions, claiming three victims in Belgorod (including a pregnant woman, the Russians report) and hitting some energy infrastructures in Smolensk.