In a rare historic weekend vote, the U.S. Congress on Saturday passed the Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act with a vote of 311-112, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports from the Capitol Hill. Many House members, primarily Democrats, cheered and waved Ukrainian flags during the vote.
The $95 billion package contains $61 billion for Ukraine and regional partners – about the same that was included in the Senate bill.
Of that total, about $23 billion would be used to replenish US weapons, stockpiles and facilities, and more than $11 billion would fund current US military operations in the region.
Nearly $14 billion included in the bill would help Ukraine buy advanced weapons systems and other defense equipment.
The House also separately approved a bill that will unfreeze Russian frozen assets (6bn) and transfer them to Ukraine.
The House also passed the Israel Security Supplemental with a vote of 366-58, which includes $26.4 billion to aid Israel.
Both bills are now headed to the Senate before they can hit President Biden's desk.
"I urge the Senate to quickly send this package to my desk so that I can sign it into law and we can quickly send weapons and equipment to Ukraine to meet their urgent battlefield needs" Biden said in a statement Saturday afternoon.
Politics
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Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, who arrived in Baku today, held a press conference at the COP29 climate conference. When asked about the arrested climate activists and opposition figures in Azerbaijan, she stated that Germany advocates for the release of government critics and that she would raise this issue during her meeting with Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister. She specifically mentioned the name of Professor Gubad Ibadoglu, a doctor from Dresden University.
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On November 21, climate activists held a series of protests at the COP29 climate conference in Baku. The main themes of the protests included nuclear weapons testing, animal killings, protection of rivers and water bodies, and environmental pollution.
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The General Assembly of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (EaP CSF) adopted a resolution on Friday reaffirming its commitment to democratic reforms, regional stability, and European integration amidst escalating geopolitical tensions driven by Russia's ongoing aggression in Ukraine.
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Activist Nijat Ibrahim, who was detained in Baku pre-trial detention center-1, inflicted numerous wounds on himself on November 20 in protest against unjustified criminal prosecution, his wife Parvin Ibrahim told Turan. According to her, on November 21, her husband called her and informed her that the day before he had inflicted incised wounds on himself with a piece of mirror. In particular, he cut his throat and ears.
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