US Republicans block new aid for Ukraine and Israel
In October, US President Joe Biden asked Congress for a financial package of 106 billion dollars. It includes 61.4 billion dollars for Ukraine, 14.3 billion dollars for Israel in the war against the radical Islamic group Hamas, aid for other allies such as Taiwan and funds to protect the USA's southern border with Mexico.
While there is support among Republicans for new aid for Israel, there is resistance to new funds for Ukraine. In the Senate, legislation requires a majority of 60 of the 100 senators in procedural preliminary votes. The Republicans currently have 49 senators and can block legislative projects with their blocking minority.
Biden had signaled a willingness to compromise before the vote. He was prepared to make "major compromises" on immigration policy so that Congress could release funding for Ukraine, said Biden. The release of funding to support Ukraine "cannot wait any longer", and failure would be the "greatest gift" to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Moscow is now hoping that the US Senate will permanently block the new Ukraine aid. "It remains to be hoped that there are still enough people with a clear mind among the US members of Congress," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Thursday. He accused the US government of "burning" the funds in the "furnace of the Ukraine war".
Washington is Kiev's most important supporter in the war against the Russian invasion forces. Since the start of the Russian war of aggression in February 2022, the USA has already provided or pledged more than 44 billion dollars in military aid to Ukraine.
Overall, Western military aid for Ukraine has recently decreased significantly, as the Kiel Institute for the World Economy reported on Thursday. Newly pledged aid fell by almost 90 percent between August and October 2023 compared to the same period in the previous year. According to the calculations, Kiev only received aid pledges totaling 2.11 billion euros during this period - a record low.
"Our figures confirm the impression that supporters have become more hesitant in recent months," explained Christoph Trebesch, who works with a team to compile the Ukraine Support Tracker. Ukraine is increasingly dependent on a few core donors, including Germany, the USA and the Nordic countries.
In view of the uncertainty surrounding further US aid, Ukraine can only hope that the EU will adopt its long-announced 50 billion euro aid package. "A further delay would significantly strengthen Putin's position," warned Trebesch.
According to the report, the EU countries have continued to catch up with the promised military aid and have now overtaken the USA. Between August and October, the EU countries pledged 780 million euros for heavy weapons, compared to 500 million euros from the USA. With military pledges totaling more than 17 billion euros, Germany is now the second largest donor after the USA.
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- Despite the US Republicans' blocking of a new aid package, Joe Biden had initially proposed a 106 billion dollar financial package, with 61.4 billion dollars earmarked for Ukraine and 14.3 billion dollars for Israel to combat Hamas.
- The Republicans show support for new aid for Israel, but they strongly oppose funding for Ukraine, which can be blocked by their procedural minority in the Senate.
- Biden suggested making significant compromises on immigration policy to secure funding for Ukraine, stating that the delay in releasing aid would be a "greatest gift" to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
- Moscow is capitalizing on this situation, hoping that the US Senate will permanently block new aid for Ukraine, accusing the US government of wasting funds in the Ukraine war.
- The USA has been Ukraine's most significant supporter in the war against Russia's invasion forces, providing or pledging more than 44 billion dollars in military aid since February 2022.
- According to a recent report from the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, Western military aid for Ukraine has significantly decreased, with the US now trailing behind other nations in aid pledges.
- As the USA's influence in providing military aid wanes, Ukraine places its hopes on the EU adopting its 50 billion euro aid package to offset any potential funding gaps.
- Germany is currently the second-largest donor, following the USA, in providing military aid to Ukraine, with heavy weapons pledges totaling more than 17 billion euros between August and October 2023.
Source: www.stern.de
