the American Congress votes for the much-awaited aid of 61 billion dollars – L’Express

2024-04-20 19:21:48

American parliamentarians voted in quick succession on this gigantic envelope of 95 billion dollars, requested for months by President Joe Biden. The text on Ukraine provides 61 billion to help kyiv against Russia; that on Israel includes several billion dollars, in particular to strengthen the Israeli anti-missile shield, called “Iron Dome”.

American elected officials also voted on a text to stand up to China and help Taiwan, and adopted a measure issuing an ultimatum to TikTok, which provides for the ban of the application in the United States unless the network social is cutting its ties with its parent company ByteDance, and more broadly with China.

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In the hemicycle, parliamentarians waved Ukrainian flags as a sign of support for kyiv, to the boos of Trumpist elected officials. The texts should be quickly examined by the Senate, which could consider the measures as early as Tuesday, indicated the leader of the Democrats in the Senate, Chuck Schumer. It is the result of months of acrimonious negotiations, comings and goings of the Ukrainian president in Washington and pressure from allies around the world. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whose country is at war with Russia, immediately welcomed assistance which “will save thousands and thousands of lives”.

“This strengthens the security of us all”

“I welcome the fact that the US House of Representatives has approved a significant new aid package for Ukraine. It demonstrates continued bipartisan support for Ukraine,” said Atlantic Alliance Secretary General , Jens Stoltenberg. “Ukraine is using weapons provided by NATO allies to destroy Russian combat capabilities. This strengthens the security of all of us in Europe and North America,” he added, by “encouraging Senate to move quickly to send this bill to President Biden.”

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The United States is Ukraine’s main military supporter, but the U.S. Congress had not approved large-scale funding for kyiv in nearly a year and a half, mainly due to partisan squabbling. The leaders of the European institutions, Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen, also welcomed the vote of the House of Representatives. “This sends a clear message to the Kremlin: those who believe in freedom and in the Charter of the United Nations will continue to support Ukraine and its inhabitants,” reacted Charles Michel on X.

“The provision of US military aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan will exacerbate global crises: military aid to the Kiev regime is direct support for terrorist activities; to Taiwan: interference in China’s internal affairs; to Israel: a direct path towards an unprecedented worsening of the situation in the region”, for her part denounced the spokesperson for Russian diplomacy, Maria Zakharova, on Telegram.