- US President Joe Biden announces the start of fresh weapons and equipment delivery to Ukraine.
- The Senate approved a $95 billion foreign aid package, including military support for Israel, Taiwan, and Ukraine.
- The package includes $61 billion in military aid for Ukraine.
Mr. Biden vows to sign it off "as soon as it reaches my desk" on Wednesday, ensuring that aid can be sent "this week". As Russia makes steady gains in its invasion, Ukraine has recently stepped up its calls for Western assistance.
The package includes $61 billion in military aid for Ukraine. It passed the Senate in a bipartisan vote of 79-18. Tuesday evening's approval followed the passage of the measure by the US House of Representatives on Saturday.
Mr. Biden hailed its passage in a statement, calling it "critical legislation [that] will make our nation and world more secure as we support our friends who are defending themselves against terrorists like Hamas and tyrants like [Russian President Vladimir] Putin".
Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said: "After more than six months of hard work and many twists and turns in the road, America sends a message to the entire world: we will not turn our back on you."
Reacting to the vote, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said it "reinforces America's role as a beacon of democracy and leader of the free world".
A group of conservatives who oppose new Ukraine support had prevented the Senate from passing a similar aid package in February, leading to its obstruction from coming to a vote in the House of Representatives.
Last week, Democrats and Republicans in the lower chamber joined together to bypass this opposition.
They ultimately agreed to a package bill that included foreign aid as well as legislation to confiscate Russian assets held by Western banks, impose new sanctions on Russia, Iran, and China, and a provision that will force the Chinese company ByteDance to sell the popular social media service TikTok.
In the House on Saturday, a majority of Republicans in the chamber voted against the foreign aid package. The bill also faced resistance among a handful of Senate Republicans who opposed any new aid to Ukraine.
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