US President Joe Biden wants to apply to the US Congress for a comprehensive aid package for Ukraine and Israel, among others. The US could not and would not allow terrorists like Hamas or tyrants like Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin to win, Biden said yesterday evening (local time) in one of his rare addresses to the nation from the Oval Office.
Biden did not name a sum for the package. US media had previously reported 100 billion US dollars (almost 945 billion euros). Accordingly, this should also include funds for Taiwan and US border security. The White House wanted to announce the details today.
With wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, Biden addressed the nation from the Oval Office. He said the aid package should contain “unprecedented help for Israel.” “We will ensure that other hostile actors in the region know that Israel is stronger than ever and prevent this conflict from expanding,” Biden said. The package should also ensure that Ukraine can continue to defend itself against Russia’s war of aggression.
Congress largely shut down
Once the application has been received by Parliament, it must first release the new funds. However, legislative work in the USA is currently largely at a standstill because the US House of Representatives has no chairman. It is also completely unclear whether such a package would have a chance once Parliament is fully operational again.
Biden warned that it was important for the USA to support both countries – even if they were far away. “Hamas and Putin pose different threats, but they have one thing in common: they both want to completely destroy neighboring democracies,” said the 80-year-old. History has taught that terrorists who paid no price for their terror and dictators who paid no price for their aggression caused more chaos and death and more destruction.
On Wednesday, Biden visited Israel to get an idea of the situation in the conflict – and personally promised the country solidarity and full support. “Israel must once again be a safe place for the Jewish people. And I promise you that we will do everything in our power to ensure this,” he said in Tel Aviv.
Billions for Israel’s defense
The USA sees itself as Israel’s protective power. Every year they support the country with billions, a significant portion of which goes to defense against missiles and military technology. The USA helped develop the “Iron Dome” missile defense system, which has been in use since 2011.
The National Security Council’s communications director, John Kirby, made it clear on board Air Force One to Tel Aviv: The US government has the means to help Ukraine and Israel “for a while longer.” “But with both conflicts showing no signs of ending any time soon, we desperately need additional funding and support from Congress.”
The USA is considered Ukraine’s most important ally in the fight against the Russian invasion. Since the start of the war, the United States has provided Ukraine with military equipment worth around $44 billion (41.6 billion euros), according to the US Department of Defense.
Terrorists from the Gaza Strip attacked Israel on October 7th, causing the most civilian massacre in the border area since the founding of the state in 1948. Since then, more than 1,400 Israelis have been killed, around 4,000 injured and almost 200 kidnapped to the Gaza Strip.
