U.S. House of Representatives Opens Path for Vote on New Aid to Ukraine

The U.S. House of Representatives has advanced a bill that would provide new military aid to Ukraine and impose tougher sanctions on Russia.

A total of 218 lawmakers backed the measure, despite opposition from President Donald Trump’s administration and most House Republicans, according to The Hill.

The move was made possible through a discharge petition – a rarely used procedure that allows lawmakers to bypass House leadership and force legislation onto the House floor for a vote.

To trigger the process, supporters needed to collect at least 218 signatures from House members. The decisive signature came from independent Congressman Kevin Kiley.

As a result, the House of Representatives was required to hold a vote on whether to advance the bill for further consideration.

218 lawmakers supported the bill: 211 Democrats, six Republicans, and one independent. A total of 204 Republicans voted against it.

Republican Congressman Don Bacon stated that the House will vote on the bill for final approval on Thursday.

“This is our Churchill moment, and we must rise to the challenge,” he wrote in a post on X.

The bill would provide Ukraine with $1.3 billion in military aid, along with up to $8 billion in additional assistance in the form of loans.

The bill also proposes replenishing U.S. weapons stockpiles and creating financial tools to support Ukraine’s postwar reconstruction.

Additionally, it calls for new sanctions against Russia and organizations backing its war, The New York Times reported.

In early May, it was announced that the Trump administration did not include funding for military aid to Ukraine in its request for a record $1.5 trillion U.S. defense budget for fiscal year 2027.