U.S. President Joe Biden said on April 17 that he "strongly supports" House Speaker Mike Johnson's proposals on foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel, and other partners.
Earlier on April 17, Johnson unveiled three bills that would provide funding to Washington's partners, including one allocating almost $61 billion to Ukraine. U.S. assistance for Kyiv has been effectively blocked since autumn 2023 as various versions of the aid failed to pass Congress.
"I strongly support this package to get critical support to Israel and Ukraine, provide desperately needed humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza, and bolster security and stability in the Indo-Pacific," the statement on the White House's website read.
"The House must pass the package this week and the Senate should quickly follow. I will sign this into law immediately to send a message to the world: We stand with our friends, and we won’t let Iran or Russia succeed."
Johnson's proposal on the Ukraine aid allocates roughly the same sum as the Senate package that the speaker refused to put to a vote in his chamber. It includes several additions, including treating economic assistance for Kyiv as a loan that can be later written off. Ukraine has already signaled it is open to aid even in this form as long as it arrives quickly.
If the House passes Johnson's proposals, the bills will have to travel back to the Senate for an additional vote before being sent to Biden for signature.
Delays in U.S. assistance to Ukraine have already had a direct impact on the battlefield, contributing to the loss of the key front-line city of Avdiivka.
Amid the escalating situation on the eastern front and intensified Russian attacks on energy infrastructure, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that "Ukraine will lose the war" if the U.S. Congress fails to approve military aid.
Martin Fornusek
(Updated: )
