US House of Reps passes bill on support for Ukraine and new sanctions against Russia
The US House of Representatives on Thursday passed a bill to support Ukraine and impose new sanctions against Russia, Reuters reports.
"The House voted 226 to 195 in favor of the Ukraine Support Act, which was brought to the floor after months of stagnation," the report says.
The initiative became possible after a small group of Republicans, along with Democrats, signed a discharge petition to force the bill to the floor for consideration.
In the vote, 18 Republicans and one independent lawmaker, who usually supports Republicans, joined the Democrats. This is assessed as another indication of a split in the previously nearly unanimous support for Trump’s policy among members of the Republican Party.
However, the further fate of the bill remains uncertain. To take effect, it must be approved by the Senate, whose Republican leadership has not brought sanction initiatives regarding Russia to a vote, citing expectations of political signals from Trump. If passed in the Senate, the document is likely to be vetoed by the president.
The Ukraine Support Act provides for post-war recovery measures, more than $1 billion in aid for Kyiv, and up to $8 billion in direct loans.
The document also contains provisions on tightening sanctions and export controls against Russia, in particular against financial institutions, the oil and mining industries, as well as Russian officials.