Biden signs US military aid bills that will grant billions to Israel and Ukraine
US President Joe Biden is reported to have signed four bills that also included a military assistance package for Israel and Ukraine.
The Senate passed the legislation Tuesday night, which was sent to the White House for Biden’s signature as soon as Wednesday.
The package is cumulatively estimated at $95 billion with $61 billion for Ukraine, $26 billion for Israel, and $8 billion for the Indo-Pacific
“It gives vital support to America ‘s partners so they can defend themselves from threats to their sovereignty,” President Biden said, adding that the “flow of weapons to Ukraine would commence in the next few hours”.
“They’re a fighting force with the will and the skill to win,” the commander-in-chief said referring to Ukraine and criticised Donald Trump’s supporting legislators who tried to block the aid.
The bills — which were signed by the US President into law — also included banning the social media platform TikTok.
What Ukraine will get
The Pentagon said on Wednesday it would rush a $1 billion military aid package to Ukraine, including shoulder-fired Stinger surface-to-air missiles and other air defence munitions, 155-millimeter shells, Javelin anti-tank guided missiles, cluster munitions and battlefield vehicles.
As reported, it is likey to also include ammunition for the so-called High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, which can launch ATACMS missiles.
Pentagon officials added that as much as $48 billion will go to American weapons manufacturers either to replenish U.S. stockpiles that have been nearly emptied over the past two years of war or to build additional arms for Ukraine.
