Status: 05/10/2022 08:36 a.m
Billions of dollars and weapons: The USA has been supporting Ukraine quickly and effectively since the beginning of the war. But now the aid threatens to falter, President Biden is asking Congress to hurry. In addition, a law from 1941 was reactivated.
US President Joe Biden has asked Congress for quick approval of the billion-euro package he has requested to support Ukraine in Russia’s war of aggression. “I have almost exhausted the funds made available to me by a bipartisan majority in Congress to support Ukrainian fighters,” Biden said.
This could be the case in around ten days, the US President warned: “We cannot allow our aid supplies to be stopped while we wait for further action by Congress.” Biden has asked Congress for an additional $33 billion. Most of this sum – more than 20 billion dollars – is to be used for military aid.
US President Biden signs law to speed up arms deliveries to Ukraine
Mathea Schülke, WDR, Morgenmagazin, May 10, 2022
The US is arming Ukraine on a large scale to support the country against Russia. Since the beginning of the war at the end of February, the USA has said the former Soviet republic had received weapons and ammunition worth more than 3.7 billion US dollars (equivalent to around 3.5 billion euros). Some of them have already been delivered to the Ukraine.
New law for armaments deliveries
So that the aid can continue to be used quickly and effectively, Biden signed a law that facilitates the delivery of armaments to Ukraine and other Eastern European countries. He spoke of an “important instrument to support the Ukrainian government and the Ukrainian people in their fight to defend their country and their democracy.”
The new law authorizes the US President to lend or lease military equipment to Ukraine and other countries in Eastern Europe affected by the Russian war of aggression until 2023. The US Congress had passed a similar lend-lease law in 1941 during the Second World War: This allowed America to supply armaments quickly and in large quantities to the Allies fighting the Nazis.
Selenskyj speaks of “historic step”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his delight at the signing of the law and spoke of a “historic step”.
Ukraine is grateful, he tweeted. “I am sure that we will win together again. And we will defend democracy in Ukraine. And in Europe. Just like 77 years ago.”