Senate approves $61 billion Ukraine aid deal, with Joe Biden set to sign legislation later | World News

The Senate approved $95 billion (£76.2 billion) in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan after months of delays and wrangling – with Joe Biden set to sign the legislation later.

The bill passed the Senate by an overwhelming vote of 79 to 18 on Tuesday night, after the House approved the package on Saturday.

Once signed, the president will begin the process of sending weapons to Ukrainewhich has been fighting to maintain its front lines against Russia.

The legislation would also send $26 billion (£20 billion) in wartime assistance to Israel and humanitarian aid to Gazans, and $8 billion (£6.4 billion) to combat Chinese threats in Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific.

Analysis:
What the US aid package means for the war in Ukraine

US officials said around $1 billion (£802,000) in aid could be on the way soon, with the bulk of it following in the coming weeks.

In an interview with the Associated Press shortly before the vote, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said that if Congress had not approved the aid, “America would have paid a price economically, politically and militarily.”

“Very few things we’ve done have reached this level of historical importance,” he said.

On the Senate floor, Schumer said the Senate was sending a message to U.S. allies: “We will stand with you.”

Schumer and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell have argued there could be dire consequences for the U.S. and many of its allies if Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggression goes unchecked.

The pair worked with House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, to overcome seemingly intractable Republican opposition to aid to Ukraine.

The House approved the package in a series of four votes on Saturday, with Ukraine’s portion passing 311-112.

The $61 billion (£48.1 billion) for Ukraine comes at a time when the war-torn country desperately needs new firepower and at a time when Putin has stepped up his attacks.

Ukrainian soldiers have been fighting back as Russia seizes momentum on the battlefield and gains significant territory.

Biden told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday that the US will send much-needed air defense weaponry as soon as the legislation is passed.

“The president assured me that the package will be approved quickly and that it will be powerful, strengthening our air defense as well as long-range and artillery capabilities,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X on Monday.