Ukraine cheers House approval of military aid
Following a lengthy struggle, the House has approved $95 billion in aid for Ukraine and Israel


What happened
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday thanked the U.S. House for passing long-delayed military aid. Saturday's 311-112 vote, with all 112 no votes coming from Republicans, joined $60.8 billion for Ukraine with $17 billion for Israel and $8 billion for Indo-Pacific allies in a $95 billion package approved in separate parts.
Who said what
The U.S. weapons give Ukraine's military a real "chance of victory" and "break the plans of Russia" for an expected "full-scale offensive" in coming weeks, Zelenskyy told NBC News on Sunday. President Joe Biden thanked "both parties in the House" for coming together to pass the "urgently needed national security legislation."
The commentary
The House approved "more than bullets and bombs" for a "battered and bloodied" Ukraine, The New York Times said. "It offered something equally important: hope." Ukraine is grateful, but after six months of rationed munitions and Russian gains, "frankly speaking, it's too late and it's not enough," National University of Kyiv political scientist Olexiy Haran told The Associated Press.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What next?
The Senate will vote on the package Tuesday and Biden said he will sign it immediately. Some of the "ready to go" weapons will reach the battlefield in "less than a week," a U.S. official told The Washington Post. Ukraine "may suffer additional setbacks" as Russia pushes to "exploit the closing window" of Kyiv's shortages, the Institute for the Study of War said, but Ukraine can "blunt" Russia's offensive if the aid "arrives promptly."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
America's favorite fast food restaurants
The Explainer There are different ways of thinking about how Americans define how they most like to spend their money on burgers, tacos and fried chicken
-
Law: The battle over birthright citizenship
Feature Trump shifts his focus to nationwide injunctions after federal judges block his attempt to end birthright citizenship
-
The threat to the NIH
Feature The Trump administration plans drastic cuts to medical research. What are the ramifications?
-
Trump pardons Virginia sheriff convicted of bribery
speed read Former sheriff Scott Jenkins was sentenced to 10 years in prison on federal bribery and fraud charges
-
Germany lifts Kyiv missile limits as Trump, Putin spar
speed read Russia's biggest drone and missile attacks of the war prompted Trump to post that Putin 'has gone absolutely CRAZY!'
-
Tied Supreme Court blocks church charter school
speed read The court upheld the Oklahoma Supreme Court's decision to bar overtly religious public charter schools
-
GOP megabill would limit judicial oversight of Trump
speed read The domestic policy bill Republicans pushed through the House would protect the Trump administration from the consequences of violating court orders
-
Judge scolds DOJ over Newark mayor arrest
speed read Ras Baraka was arrested during a May 9 surprise visit to a migrant detention facility
-
Trump lectures South Africa president on 'white genocide'
speed read Trump has cut off aid to South Africa over his demonstrably false genocide claims
-
Trump twists House GOP arms on megabill
speed read The bill will provide a $350 billion boost to military and anti-immigration spending and 'cuts to Medicaid, food stamps and green energy programs'
-
Trump DOJ said to pay $5M to family of Jan. 6 rioter
speed read The US will pay a hefty sum to the family of Capitol rioter Ashli Babbitt, who was fatally shot on January 6