Russia slams US aid plan, says it will ‘destroy Ukraine’
Russia predictably reacted angrily to a new $61 billion aid package for Ukraine, claiming it would only lead to more carnage in the conflict.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Saturday that the U.S. House of Representatives’ approval of further aid to Ukraine “will make the United States of America richer, further destroy Ukraine and lead to the death of more Ukrainians, which is the result of the Kiev regime” mistake”.russian news agency TASS reports.
Photo taken on March 12, 2018, shows the Moscow Kremlin complex (back) and the Bolshoi Kamenyi Bridge across the Moskva River.
Mladen Antonov | AFP | Getty Images
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said a broader aid package, which also includes aid to Israel and Taiwan, would exacerbate the global crisis.
“U.S. military assistance to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan will exacerbate the global crisis, because military assistance to the Kiev regime is direct financial support for terrorist activities, and military assistance to Taiwan is interference in China’s internal affairs.” For Israel, this is a direct path to unprecedented escalation in the region,” she wrote on her Telegram channel.
Two years after it invaded Ukraine, Russia accused Kiev of launching a “terrorist campaign” with sporadic drone and missile attacks on its territory and energy infrastructure. Ukraine rarely comments on such attacks, but like Russia, it says it does not target civilian infrastructure.
— Holly Elliot
Kyiv breathes relief after aid package but says time is of the essence
On April 5, 2024, during his visit to the Chernihiv Oblast of Ukraine, Ukrainian President Zelensky inspected bunkers, firing ranges, armored personnel carrier trenches and anti-tank trenches and received information from officials.
Anadolu | Anadolu | Getty Images
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked U.S. House lawmakers for passing a vital $61 billion aid package for Ukraine over the weekend, saying the aid “will prevent the war from expanding, save thousands of lives, and help our two countries become more Stronger.
He asked that the bill be approved by the Senate as soon as possible, where it will be submitted.
“The time between a political decision and actual damage to the enemy on the front lines, between the approval of the plan and the strengthening of our fighters must be as short as possible,” Zelensky said on the social media platform X.
The aid is a lifeline for Ukraine, whose army in eastern Ukraine has been forced to ration artillery shells due to supply shortages. As Russian forces continue to make gains in the Donbas region, Ukraine has requested more air defense systems, artillery and ammunition to turn the tide of the war.
Matthew Savill, director of military science at London-based defense think tank RUSI, commented that while the plan and the boost to morale and ammunition stocks would be welcomed by the Ukrainian military, “the main point is that This funding may just help stabilize Ukraine’s position this year and start preparations for operations in 2025,” he said in emailed comments.
“Predictability of funding in 2024 and 2025 will help Ukraine plan its defenses this year, especially if European ammunition supplies also arrive, but 2025 will require further planning and funding, and between now and then we There will be a US election,” he added.
— Holly Elliot
The U.S. House of Representatives passes a $95 billion aid package for Ukraine and Israel, sending it to the Senate
On Saturday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a $95 billion legislative package with broad bipartisan support to provide security assistance to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, despite strong opposition from Republican hardliners.
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson (L) (R-Los Angeles) holds a news conference at the U.S. Capitol on April 16, 2024 in Washington, DC.
Win McNamee | Getty Images
The legislation now heads to the Democratic-majority Senate, which passed a similar measure more than two months ago. U.S. leaders from Democratic President Joe Biden to Senate Republican Mitch McConnell have been urging embattled Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson to bring it up for a vote.
The Senate is scheduled to begin taking up the House-passed bill on Tuesday, with some preliminary votes taking place that afternoon. Final passage is expected sometime next week, clearing the way for Biden to sign it into law.
The bill provides $60.84 billion to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, of which $23 billion is to replenish U.S. weapons, stockpiles, and facilities; provides Israel with $26 billion, of which $9.1 billion is for humanitarian needs, and provides support to the Indo-Pacific, including Taiwan. The region provided $8.12 billion.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed gratitude and said U.S. lawmakers took action to put “history on the right track.”
“The vital U.S. aid bill passed by the House of Representatives today will stop the war from expanding, save thousands of lives, and help our two countries become stronger,” Zelensky said on X.
The Biden administration is already finalizing its next aid package for Ukraine, with a view to announcing a new tranche of aid to meet Ukraine’s urgent battlefield needs as soon as the bill becomes law, a White House official said.
— Reuters
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