The US Senate on April 24 (Vietnam time) approved an additional aid package for Ukraine worth more than 60 billion USD. According to the Wall Street Journal, for many months, the issue of aid to Ukraine has been deadlocked in the US Congress largely because of former President Donald Trump’s opposition. About half of Republican members in the US House of Representatives have said they will oppose more support for Kiev, and House Speaker Mike Johnson cannot break this deadlock.
During the election campaign, Mr. Trump, the leading Republican presidential candidate, criticized the United States for providing billions of dollars to foreign countries while security problems continued to increase at home. . But polls show that as he increasingly speaks out against US support for Ukraine, support among Republican voters is also decreasing.
The above issue, combined with some strategic outreach by Republican senators, along with a small but politically significant change to the aid package, helped convince Mr. Trump to change his stance. points on aid to Ukraine. That cleared the way for House Speaker Johnson to pass the bill last weekend without causing a reaction from Mr. Trump.
The new aid package of more than $60 billion related to Ukraine is largely intended for US defense contractors or the Pentagon to supplement weapons and equipment already provided to Ukraine.
The key change in the aid package is to set aside $9.5 billion for economic support in the form of loans, not grants, to match the idea that Mr. Trump floated months earlier. .
In addition, a group of senators including Senators Lindsey Graham, Kevin Cramer and Markwayne Mullin discussed with each other to strategize, which they then discussed with Mr. Trump.
“We should never transfer money without hope of return or without ‘strings’ attached,” Mr. Trump made a statement in February this year.
Mr. Trump often has complicated views on Ukraine, many times criticizing Ukraine. But people close to former President Trump say he has begun to listen to various officials who have warned him about the potential consequences if Russia wins. In addition, they also talked about the opportunity the United States has to broker a peace agreement regarding the Russia-Ukraine conflict if Mr. Trump wins the election.
Meanwhile, the New York Times commented that the former US President has taken a softer stance on the issue of supporting Ukraine, partly to support House Speaker Johnson, while also limiting pressure on Ukraine. Republicans on this issue.
For its part, Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency said on April 24 that Mr. Trump could “benefit” when the US Congress passes the above aid package:
First, it helps him eliminate disagreements with Republicans who support helping Kiev, and more importantly with the sponsors of the party’s election campaign in the form of the defense industry. America, which will receive at least three-quarters of the money allocated to buy weapons for Ukraine.
Second, the basic aid package met Mr. Trump’s request regarding the allocation of funds to protect the border with Mexico, along with provisions on the confiscation of frozen Russian assets as well. like allocating funding to Kiev only in the form of a loan.
