Firefighters and Ukrainian army soldiers search for bodies of people killed during a Russian attack, among the remains of a building beside a TV tower, in the recently liberated town of Izium, Kharkiv region, Ukraine September 28, 2022. – Reuters pic
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WASHINGTON, Sept 30 – Democratic and Republican US lawmakers said yesterday they wanted to continue the flow of money and weapons for Ukraine’s battle against Russia’s invasion, denouncing Moscow’s plan to annex four Ukrainian regions.
“We have not won this yet. We need to continue to support the Ukrainians,” Democrat Bob Menendez, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told reporters after a classified briefing on the conflict.
The Senate passed a bill funding the federal government through December 16, and sending US$12.3 billion (RM57 billion) in military and economic assistance to Ukraine. The bill, which the House of Representatives is set to pass on Friday, also authorises President Joe Biden to direct the drawdown of up to US$3.7 billion for the transfer to Ukraine of weapons from US stocks.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said he wanted “to send a very clear signal” that more economic and military assistance would be sent to Ukraine when Congress returns to Washington after the November 8 mid-term elections.
“This is a defining moment for the world when it comes to territorial integrity,” Graham told a news conference where he and Democrat Richard Blumenthal introduced a bill to cut off US assistance to any country that recognises Russia’s annexation of Ukrainian territory.
“We’re dealing with Hurricane Putin,” Graham said, after expressing best wishes for US citizens affected by powerful Hurricane Ian.
Graham and Blumenthal also called on Biden to designate Russia a state sponsor of terrorism, which the administration says is not the most effective way to hold Russia accountable. Read full story
Blumenthal and Graham’s bill was one of several seeking to boost Ukraine that was recently introduced in Congress.
Some proposals could become law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a massive bill setting policy for the Pentagon expected to pass by year-end.
Yesterday, Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen and Republican Pat Toomey filed an amendment to the NDAA proposing the Biden administration use secondary sanctions to strengthen a price cap G7 countries plan to impose on Russian oil. – Reuters