Pentagon set to send $1 billion in new military aid to Ukraine once Biden signs bill

By LOLITA C. BALDOR and AAMER MADHANI
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials say the Pentagon is poised to send $1 billion in new military aid to Ukraine now that the Senate has approved long-awaited legislation to fund the weapons Kyiv needs to stall gains made by Russia. The decision announced Tuesday comes after months of frustration, as bitterly divided members of Congress deadlocked over the funding. House Speaker Mike Johnson was forced to cobble together a bipartisan coalition to pass the bill. The overall $95 billion foreign aid package gained Senate approval Tuesday and President Joe Biden said he would sign it Wednesday. About $61 billion is for Ukraine. Biden promised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy the U.S. would send air defense weapons once the Senate approves the bill.