US passes bill to facilitate lend-lease deals with Ukraine to provide military assistance

In midst of Russia's ongoing aggression against Ukraine, United States House of Representatives passed legislation relaxing requirements for engaging in defence equipment lend-lease deals with war-torn Ukraine and or Eastern Europe nations, clearing way for ditional US armaments to flow into area.

On Thursday, House members have passed bill by a vote of 417 to 10, putting it to US President Joe Biden's desk for signature. law was unanimously passed by Senate in April, ANI reported.  

According to a formal summary of legislation, "This bill temporarily waives certain requirements related to President's authority to lend or lease defense articles if defense articles are intended for Ukraine's government or governments of or Eastern European countries affected by Russia's invasion of Ukraine". 

lend-lease agreements under this law are exempt from certain rules 

Furr, summary went on to say that for fiscal years 2022 and 2023, a deal to lend or lease defence goods under this law is exempt from certain rules and regulations that rmally apply to such lend-lease deals, such as requirement that a loan or lease duration does t exceed five years. It also ds that President shall develop expedited processes to guarantee that military articles borrowed or leased to Ukraine under this bill are delivered on schedule. 

In dition to this, lend-lease agreements are reminiscent of US President Franklin D. Roosevelt's rewned Second World War-era strategy of supplying Allied nations, including Soviet Union, with armaments and or commodities. move was seen as signaling end of United States' neutrality in war and a shift toward open support for Allies, ANI reported.

US requests a fresh $33 billion to Congress for military, ecomic, as well as humanitarian aid to Kyiv

bill came at a time when a slew of ditional initiatives by Congress and Biden ministration emerged to help Ukraine in wake of Russia's ongoing special military operation, including Biden's fresh $33 billion requests to Congress for military, ecomic, as well as humanitarian aid to Kyiv. 

As per media reports, two Biden ministration sources said on Thursday that President Joe Biden would ask Congress for an extra $33 billion to assist Ukraine fight Russian invasion, a significant escalation in US efforts to support Kyiv in a growing conflict that shows indications of ending anytime soon. 

Biden's current plan, which officials claimed would last for five months, includes over $20 billion in military aid for Ukraine and defence boosting in neighbouring nations. officials, who informed media on condition of anymity as y weren't authorised to speak publicly, said that re is also $8.5 billion in ecomic aid to keep Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's government functioning, as well as $3 billion for food and humanitarian programmes to aid citizens and or spendings. 

latest plan would be more than twice as large as Congress's first $13.6 billion defence and ecomic assistance pack for Ukraine and Western allies, which is nearly depleted. It appeared to imply a long-term commitment by United States to thwart Russian President Vlimir Putin's efforts to expand his country's grip over its neighbour, and maybe beyond. 

(Im: AP)