A continuing resolution meant primarily to avoid a government shutdown next week passed the Senate 82-15 on Thursday, and having already passed in the House, the bill will be headed to President Trump to sign.
The bill extends all $250 million in US military aid approved for the
Ukraine through the entire next fiscal year. The expectation was that
most would be freed up by Monday, but some would remain frozen by the
Trump Administration.
Since Monday is the end of the current fiscal year, remaining frozen
through then would effectively cancel that part of the military aid. The
extension means it’ll remain pending through the next year.
Aid to the Ukraine has become very controversial recently, with a
scandal surrounding a Trump phone call with the Ukrainian president. The
administration insists this was unrelated to the aid, and indeed signs
are the aid was frozen before the phone call.
The administration has changed its stance on why the aid was frozen a
few times, with various reports suggesting they didn’t believe the aid
would benefit the US, later complaining about Ukrainian corruption, and
finally saying Trump is mad Germany doesn’t pay more.
Senate Vote Would Extend Ukraine Aid for Another Year
Continuing resolution passed 82-15
Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.
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