Informed sources reported to a number of American and international media outlets that US President Joe Biden plans to ask Congress for funding amounting to $100 billion to support Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.
Bloomberg quoted its sources as saying that there is talk about a unified aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and Washington’s allies in the Indo-Pacific region, including Taiwan.
According to Bloomberg sources, the package, which is still being prepared, will be calculated for the entire next fiscal year, while the previous amount requested by Biden, amounting to $24 billion, was calculated for a period of only 3 months.
Funding for border security programs aimed at dealing with the migration crisis on the US-Mexico border was also included in this amount, in order to garner Republican support for Biden’s request, many of whom had reservations about the aspect of providing aid to Ukraine, according to Bloomberg.
The new aid package is expected to be on hold until the election of a new speaker of the US House of Representatives, as Republicans have not yet been able to reconcile their differences and secure the necessary number of votes to pass the appointment of their nominee.
It is noteworthy that the Republican candidate for this position, Jim Jordan, who is affiliated with Donald Trump’s camp within the Republican Party, has opposed linking aid to Israel with continued aid to Ukraine.
In turn, the leader of the Democrats in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, confirmed that he expects the US administration to submit its request, which has not been officially announced, before the end of this week, indicating that the Democrats want to pass the aid package as quickly as possible, if Israel and Ukraine desperately need it.
White House: Biden will ask "difficult questions" to the Israelis
White House national security spokesman John Kirby said that US President Joe Biden will ask "tough questions" of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli leaders during his visit.
Kirby added to reporters on Air Force One heading to Israel that Biden wants to know the goals of the Israelis in the coming days.
He added that the United States is optimistic about the arrival of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Kirby's statement came after Biden expressed in a statement his "anger and deep sadness over the explosion at Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza and the resulting terrible loss of life."
Biden was scheduled to visit Jordan on Wednesday, but the visit was “postponed” in the wake of the bombing that targeted the hospital, leaving hundreds dead.