The US congressional Democrats agreed to push USD39.8 billion in additional aid to Ukraine, assuaging fears that a delayed vote would disrupt the flow of US weapons to the Kyiv government, source familiar with the development said on Monday.
The measure, which exceeds President Joe Biden's request for USD33 billion last month, may be passed by the House of Representatives as early as Tuesday, and Senate leaders said they were also ready to move quickly.
A proposal for more COVID-19 financing, which some Democrats sought to combine with the emergency Ukraine funding, will now be addressed separately. According to the sources, the latest proposal comprises USD3.4 billion in military aid and USD3.4 billion in humanitarian aid.
Both Biden's Democratic and Republican teammates said they supported more aid for Ukraine and would soon approve emergency funding, but the process was hampered by disagreements between the parties over whether additional funding for COVID-19 relief or tighter immigration controls should be included.
Biden requested Congress for USD33 billion in support for Ukraine on April 28, including more than USD20 billion in military aid. That proposal represented a significant increase in US spending for the war with Russia.
Biden signs bill aimed at streamlining US military assistance to Ukraine
Afghanistan officials to meet with the US to discuss the Mi-17s in Ukraine