The US Senate approved long-awaited funds for Ukraine’s war effort on Tuesday, as part of a foreign aid package that right-wing House Speaker Mike Johnson has signaled his Republican-led house will oppose.
Republican and Democratic lawmakers have been discussing the national security bill for months, but strong opposition from Donald Trump, the expected Republican presidential contender in 2024, and his congressional allies continues to undermine it.
The $95 billion package includes cash for Israel’s military and key strategic partner Taiwan, but the majority — $60 billion — would help Ukraine replenish depleted ammo supplies, weapons, and other critical needs as it approaches its third year of battle against Russian aggression.
The legislation, which the Senate voted on early Tuesday morning and easily passed 70-29 with cross-party support, is the latest attempt to rescue President Joe Biden’s policy of leading a Western response to Russia’s aggression against democratic Ukraine.
A previous Senate package agreed by both parties included severe new US border protections aimed at slowing the influx of migrants from Mexico — a demand made by Republicans, who claimed they would not help Ukraine until the domestic issue was addressed first.
However, Trump-led Republicans in Congress defeated the package, causing pandemonium in the chamber.
Johnson stated late Monday that even if Republicans in the Senate supported the Ukraine bill, the party in the lower house would not do so unless it included border control provisions.
“House Republicans were crystal clear from the very beginning of discussions that any so-called national security supplemental legislation must recognize that national security begins at our own border,” Johnson stated in an e-mail.
This was despite Johnson previously opposing the Senate’s initial plan, which had some of the harshest immigration restrictions in decades but, he claimed, did not go far enough.
The Republican moves to prevent both border measures and Ukraine aid from succeeding in Congress follow Trump’s lead, who has focused primarily on border issues while opposing assistance for Ukraine’s battle against Russia.
Senate Democrats, backed by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, have now set up a huge clash over the problems by passing the foreign aid measure and sending it to the House.
“Today we make (Russian President) Vladimir Putin regret the day he questioned America’s resolve,” Schumer said on the Senate floor, adding that if Johnson allows the bill to be debated in the House, “it will pass with the same strong bipartisan support.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed gratitude for the aid measure’s passage despite its uncertain fate in the House, taking to social media to thank “every US Senator who has supported continued assistance to Ukraine as we fight for freedom, democracy, and the values we all hold dear.”
Republican divisions –
The Republican deadlock on the plan stems from both internal party disagreements and a desire on the right side to make the border an open issue leading up to the election.
Given Trump’s dominance in the party, leading Senate Republican Mitch McConnell was forced to go against the grain in rallying support during the overnight discussion before Tuesday’s vote.
McConnell had urged his colleagues to oppose Trump’s isolationist stance and consider the message that would be sent if the US failed to help Ukraine and other democracies.
“Our adversaries want America to decide that reinforcing allies and partners is not in our interest, and that investing in strategic competition is not worth it,” McConnell said in a statement after Tuesday’s vote.
“Today, on the value of American leadership and strength, history will record that the Senate did not blink.”
Trump’s acolytes in the Senate, however, only highlighted the divisions among Republicans and how a significant faction of the party is turning inward.
“We must fix our country before devoting more resources to Ukraine,” Senator J.D. Vance, a strong Trump backer, said on X. “That’s our message, and the fight goes on.”