U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, a Republican, has blocked another $ 40 billion in aid to Ukraine — he wants an inspector general to control spending.
This was reported by the American newspapers The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal.
An expedited Senate vote required a unanimous decision (100 votes), a single blockade means the House will not approve the measure this week. US President Joe Biden wanted a bill to provide Ukraine with $ 39.8 billion in economic, humanitarian, and defense aid by the end of this week.
"We cannot save Ukraine by dooming the US economy," the senator said of the vote.
Due to Rand Paulʼs opposition to a quick vote, the Senate now has to go through all the usual procedural steps. The senator said the only way to get him to vote for the bill was to allow him to include a provision requiring the appointment of an inspector general for oversight of funding.
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell asked Paul to vote for his amendment, but he declined. "When you have a proposal to amend the bill, you canʼt just go out and demand it [approval] by decree. You must first convince the other participants to support it. Thatʼs how the Senate works," said Rand Paul.
- On May 11, the US House of Representatives supported $ 40 billion in aid to Ukraine, followed by the Senate. This year, Congress has provided $ 13.6 billion in aid to Ukraine, which means that if the last package is approved, the total amount of approved aid will exceed $ 50 billion.
- On May 9, US President Joe Biden signed a law on a lend-lease for military aid to Ukraine. This decision restores the program of the Second World War, which allows the US President to more effectively send weapons and make other deliveries to Ukraine amid the Russiaʼs invasion — without bureaucratic red tape.