US House heads for vote on Ukraine and Israel aid in bid to end impasse

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The US House of Representatives is expected to vote on sending additional aid to Ukraine and Israel on Saturday evening, in a move that could end months of inaction by the lower chamber of Congress.

Mike Johnson, the Republican Speaker of the House and a close ally of former president Donald Trump, has since February refused to take up a Senate-approved $95bn national security supplemental aid package that included $60bn in aid for Ukraine, as well as billions of dollars for Israel and Taiwan.

But earlier this week, Johnson laid out a new plan to vote on separate foreign aid bills. The move came just days after Iran launched its aerial attack on Israel.

In a text message to House Republicans on Wednesday morning, Johnson said draft legislation would “soon” be published on three separate bills that would send more money to Israel, Taiwan and Ukraine, respectively.

Under House rules requiring that members have at least 72 hours to consider legislation, this sets the stage for a final vote on all three measures on Saturday evening.

Johnson said a fourth bill, which includes a provision to seize Russian assets and additional sanctions on Russia, China and Iran, would be considered, along with a fifth intended to boost security on the US-Mexico border.

But it remained unclear whether any of the bills would be able to pass the House, which Republicans control by a razor-thin margin that will shrink to just one vote on Friday, when Wisconsin Republican Mike Gallagher is expected to step down.

As a result, Johnson is likely to rely on Democratic support to get any bill passed. The White House and senior Democrats have reserved judgment on Johnson’s plan, saying on Tuesday that they were awaiting more details before taking a position.

Johnson’s leadership has been on shaky ground for weeks, since the firebrand Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene threatened to call a vote of no confidence in his speakership. On Tuesday, Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, said he would join Greene’s effort and called on Johnson to resign.

But Johnson vowed to fight on, telling reporters it was an “absurd notion that someone would bring a vacate motion when we are simply here trying to do our jobs”, He said he considered himself a “wartime Speaker”, adding: “I didn’t anticipate this would be an easy path.”

European countries have been lobbying US officials to find a way to pass the Ukraine support package, fearful that Kyiv’s defences could be overrun by far superior Russian firepower without fresh military aid from Washington.

While the EU has scrambled to put together stop-gap military funding packages in recent months, European diplomats admit they lack the defence capabilities and manufacturing capacities to replace the US.

The frozen funding stream has also spooked some European capitals that fear it is a harbinger for US policy towards Ukraine under a potential Trump presidency, should he win back control of the White House in November’s election.

Jens Stoltenberg, Nato’s secretary-general, said on Wednesday he was “encouraged by indications that the US Congress may take up further aid to Ukraine in the coming days”.

“My message is clear: Send more to Ukraine,” he added.