The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation on Thursday to provide aid to Ukraine and impose new sanctions on Russia, the latest sign that some Republicans are willing to defy party leaders and push back against President Donald Trump.
The House voted 226 to 195 for the Ukraine Support Act, which reached the floor after languishing for months, after a handful of Republicans joined Democrats in signing a discharge petition to force the vote.
On Thursday, 18 Republicans and one independent who normally votes with them joined Democrats to pass the bill, the latest sign of a crack in what had been virtually unanimous Republican support for Trump’s policies.
Passage came a day after a smaller group of House Republicans joined Democrats to pass a resolution that would force the withdrawal of troops from hostilities with Iran unless Congress declares war or authorizes military force.
Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States, Olha Stefanishyna, called the vote “an important step forward” that “reflects continued bipartisan support for Ukraine.”
Future Of The Support Act Uncertain
The future of the Ukraine Support Act remains uncertain.
To become law it must pass the Senate, whose Republican leaders have not allowed votes on Russia sanctions legislation despite broad bipartisan support, saying they would wait for Trump’s guidance.
If it did pass the Senate, the bill would likely be vetoed by Trump, who has kept decisions on sanctions at the White House since starting his second term.
While many members of Congress from both parties strongly supported Ukraine after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, some of Trump’s closest Republican allies, including House and Senate leadership, have grown cooler towards Kyiv since Trump returned to the White House in January 2025.
U.S. aid to Kyiv has slowed sharply even as Russia and Ukraine have continued pummelling each other with missiles, drones and artillery. Peace talks are stalled, with Ukraine rejecting Putin’s demand that it surrenders territory it has successfully defended since 2022.
What The Bill Contains
The Ukraine Support Act includes measures to help Ukraine rebuild after the war, authorizes more than $1 billion in assistance for Kyiv and up to $8 billion in support via direct loans.
It also imposes stiff sanctions and export controls on Russia, including on financial institutions, oil and mining, and Russian officials.
The passage comes as the European Union agreed this week to open talks with Kyiv on the first cluster of issues in their accession negotiations, following an agreement on a 90 billion euro loan to boost Ukraine’s defence and economy.
(with input from Reuters)
