The US Congress voted to pass a massive foreign aid budget of $95 billion this week. This paves the way for Ukraine to receive a new financial injection after months of delays.
The US Senate voted 79-18 on Tuesday (April 23) to approve four bills approved by the US House of Representatives. on Saturday (20), after Republican leaders suddenly changed their stance last week. And it opens the way for a vote on a law to budget $95 billion in foreign aid, most of it military aid to the United States. It will be given to Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan and partner countries in the Indo-Pacific.
The four bills are tied together in one package on the floor of the Senedd. Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden confirmed that he is ready to sign the bill into law by Wednesday (24).
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed appreciation and thanks to the US congressman. for providing much needed aid to Ukraine
“This vote reflects that. America remains a beacon of democracy. and the leader of the free world,” Zelensky said in a statement via the Telegram app.
Most of the budget, $61 billion, is earmarked for Ukraine. Next is $26 billion for aid to Israel and aid to civilians in conflict zones around the world The final amount is $8.12 billion for “Resisting the influence of the Chinese Communist Party” in the Indo-Pacific
The fourth bill, which the House of Representatives added to the package last week, sets out measures that would lead to a ban on TikTok in the United States, the transfer of frozen Russian assets to bring Go help Ukraine By include a new wave of sanctions against Iran.
Two US officials told Reuters that the Biden administration was preparing to approve a $1 billion military aid package for Ukraine, the first in the bill. It will cover the entire vehicle. Stinger rockets, ammunition for use with the HIMARS rocket system, 155 mm artillery shells, TOW and Javelin anti-tank missiles, and other weapon systems. which can be sent to service on the battlefield immediately
Democratic and Republican Senate leaders pointed out that Congress’ move is a notice to Russian President Vladimir Putin and other “foreign enemies” of the United States that Washington is ready to continue supporting Ukraine and its partners.
“This national security bill is one of the most important measures passed by Congress. Its purpose is to protect America’s security. and the stability of Western democracies,” said Senate Democratic majority leader Chuck Schumer. declared at a press conference after the vote
The aid package could be the last that Ukraine will receive from Washington until November’s presidential election, which will see the White House and the White House running. Member of the House of Representatives Including about a third of the senators.
The flow of arms to Ukraine is expected to improve Kiev’s chances of blocking a major Russian advance in the east. But most analysts say such help would be more useful. Was it approved as soon as Biden asked for it late last year?
As for Israel, it is not clear and Budgetary support received from the United States What effect will this time have on the war in Gaza? But Israel has received security money from the US in the past. It’s already billions of dollars a year.
The relationship between the United States and the Israelis has become bitter over Israel’s behavior in the war in Gaza. Including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s push to send troops to Rafah, where some 1.5 million Palestinian civilians are taking refuge.
Israel Katz, Israel’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Posted a message through Approval of a $13 billion military aid package to Israel is being considered “Send a strong warning to all our enemies.”
Supporters of the law also expect that Palestinian civilians in Gaza will likely benefit from this humanitarian relief package. After the Israeli army pressed the country until it was destroyed in order to take revenge on the Hamas group that attacked the southern Jewish state on October 7 last year.
The Gaza Health Authority said that Israeli attacks have killed at least 34,000 Palestinians there.
The process of passing the Foreign Aid Budget Act has also received a lot of attention from the arms industry. Because it is certain that many US defense companies They are waiting to win contracts to produce and deliver military equipment to Ukraine and other American partner countries.
Experts believe that the budget bill will increase the size of orders for the major arms manufacturer RTX Corp and other companies. who are contractors to the US government, such as Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, and Northrop Grumman, etc.
Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) approved a new financial aid package of 1.5 billion euros for Ukraine on Wednesday, and Kyiv hopes to receive up to 10,000 euros more from the EU within this year.
Ukraine’s Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko said the EU had provided Ukraine with 31 billion euros in aid and was Kiev’s biggest aid donor since the war with Russia broke out in February 2022
Taiwan is another country that will benefit from the new US bailout, with President Tsai Ing-wen saying on Wednesday that she was “extremely pleased” to hear the news that Congress had passed the relief bill. this includes providing arms support to Taiwan.
Qiu Guozheng, Taiwan’s Minister of Defense Declares that Taipei will hold talks with the United States. Again, for which sectors will the aid be used?
“The United States has shown good intentions. And this is an issue that both sides will have to discuss in detail again,” he told parliament.
The United States is considered a major power that supports Taiwan on the world stage. It is also a major arms supplier. Although there are no official diplomatic relations. China, which maintains Taiwan as part of its territory, has repeatedly warned America to stop arming the democratic island.
Zhu Fenglian, a spokesman for mainland China’s Taiwan Affairs Office condemned the US aid package as “sending the wrong signal to separatists and those calling for Taiwan independence.” which China strongly opposes. “
“We ask the United States There are serious measures. In order to fulfill his promise not to support Taiwan independence. And stop arming Taiwan in any form,” he said.
China’s Foreign Ministry also warned that increasing “military collusion” between the United States and Taiwan would not be good for Taiwan’s own security.
In addition to the foreign aid budget The draft law also sets measures to force ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, to sell shares in the app. Share popular short videos within 9 months to 1 year or TikTok will be banned in the US.
“For years, we allowed the Chinese Communist Party to control one of America’s most popular apps. That’s a shallow and dangerous view,” said Marco Rubio, the Republican chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee.
“This new law will force Chinese owners to sell such apps. This is a step that will have a positive impact on America. “
politicians in the United States Many are worried that China could use TikTok as a way to spy on the private information of Americans, while TikTok itself fiercely insists that it has never shared it. and will never share users’ personal information with the Chinese government.
TikTok is preparing to file a lawsuit Alleging that the orders of the United States That violate the First Amendment to the American Constitution, which guarantees that no law will be passed that is contrary to freedom of religion, freedom of expression . and media freedom Meanwhile, many TikTok users are also expected to oppose the US measures.
The American Civil Liberties Union warned that banning or forcing the sale of TikTok shares would set a worrying international precedent for government overreach over country-owned social media. Other countries may also take similar measures.
A four-year legal storm has dragged on for TikTok, which has 170 million users in the US. It’s just one of many. The internet and technology front between Washington and Beijing. Last week, Apple announced that it had been ordered by the Chinese government to remove WhatsApp Meta and Threads from its App Store in China, also citing security concerns.
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