The US House of Representatives has published a bill on a new aid package for Ukraine. It provides Kyiv with more than 60 billion dollars, long-range ATACMS missiles and a transition to a loan system.
ATACMS are capable of hitting targets up to 300 kilometers away. Kyiv has long asked for a model with the maximum range. At the same time, according to the document, the U.S. president can postpone the decision on the supply of long-range missiles if he believes that their transfer would harm the national security interests of the United States.
Joe Biden has already supported the document and urged Congress to pass it as soon as possible.
The vote on the bill in the House of Representatives is scheduled for April 20. The aid package was divided into three parts: support for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. Each package will be voted on separately.
The document shows that about 23 billion dollars of the 60-billion-dollar package will be used to replenish U.S. weapons arsenals. About 14 billion dollars will be used to purchase weapons for Kyiv. More than $11 billion more will be spent on U.S. military operations in the region. 26 million dollars will be used to oversee aid to Ukraine.
If the bill is passed, the White House must send to Congress a long-term strategy to support Ukraine within a month and a half, and within two months – to conclude an agreement with Kyiv on the return of aid. The president will be able to cancel up to half of the debt, but this can be done no sooner than November 15 of this year.
The support packages for Israel and Taiwan call for $26 billion and eight billion dollars, respectively.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said Wednesday, a separate border security bill will also come up for debate. The House will vote on its final passage Saturday night, allowing time for debate and amendments.
Last October, Russian media wrote that the Ukrainian army had secretly obtained an ATACMS model with a range of up to 165 kilometers. Russian authorities said at the time that Ukraine had used the missile to strike the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia Region.
The US Congress has been unable to approve an aid package for Ukraine since last fall due to disagreements between Democrats and Republicans. The budget for Kyiv was part of the overall U.S. national security bill of more than 95 billion dollars. Republicans refused to pass it because of the lack of border security measures in it
