US President Biden plans a joint military aid package for Israel and Ukraine worth more than $2 billion

White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that the new military aid package for Israel and Ukraine will cost significantly more than $2 billion.

He said this in an interview with CBS Face the Nation, Reuters reports.

According to him, President Joe Biden will hold "intense negotiations" with the US Congress about this.

Congress is still unable to pass legislation because of the crisis over the election of the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Biden is preparing a budget request that would combine aid to Israel and Ukraine to increase its chances of approval.

When asked by a reporter if the military aid would reach $2 billion, Sullivan said: "This figure will be much higher, but, as I said, it will definitely include the necessary military equipment to protect the freedom, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and to help Israel defend itself in fight against the terrorist threat".

• The Speaker of the House of Representatives of the US Congress, Kevin McCarthy, was removed from office early on October 3, 2023 — for the first time in the history of the States. The petition for the resignation of Speaker Kevin McCarthy was brought by his party colleague Matt Gates. Among the reasons given by some of his party members for demanding the dismissal of Speaker McCarthy are cooperation with Democrats to pass a short-term resolution to fund the US government and the refusal to block aid to Ukraine.
• On Tuesday, October 17, the House of Representatives is scheduled to meet and vote for a new speaker. While he is gone, she cannot do her business, including approving new aid to Israel or Ukraine. Work continues in the committees.