The House voted on Thursday to approve new aid for Ukraine and impose a fresh round of sanctions targeting the industries fueling Russia\u2019s war economy, after 18 Republicans defied their leaders to join Democrats in support of a bill that runs counter to President Trump\u2019s agenda.<\/p>\n
The legislation, which passed 226 to 195, would provide $8 billion in loans to Ukraine and $1.8 billion in aid for military and security assistance. In addition to putting new sanctions on Russian-affiliated businesses and officials, it would also punish foreign companies, organizations and individuals that attempt to evade sanctions in an effort to support Moscow.<\/p>\n
It now heads to the Senate, where Mr. Trump\u2019s opposition has stopped similar attempts at new penalties on Russia and its allies. And even if it were to clear both chambers, it would likely be vetoed by the president, who has repeatedly balked at legislation that seeks to constrain his ability to negotiate on foreign policy matters.<\/p>\n
Still, backers of the measure said the vote Thursday sent a strong bipartisan message to the president that significant support remains in Congress for Ukraine. It was the second time this week that Republicans have broken with Mr. Trump over foreign conflicts, after a handful of them joined Democrats on Wednesday to push through a war powers resolution<\/a> that seeks to require the president to seek congressional approval to continue the war in Iran.<\/p>\n The Ukraine bill, led by Representative Gregory W. Meeks of New York, the top Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee, was introduced in April 2025 but languished after Republican leaders refused to take it up in committee and Speaker Mike Johnson blocked it from coming to the floor.<\/p>\n Mr. Meeks turned to a discharge petition, a procedural move that allows lawmakers to circumvent the leadership and speed a bill to the floor if they collect signatures from a majority of House members. That required the backing of all Democrats and a small group of Republicans, a threshold reached last month when Representative Kevin Kiley of California, an independent who caucuses with Republicans, signed onto the petition<\/a>. Two Republicans, Representatives Don Bacon of Nebraska and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, were already onboard, having broken with their party months earlier to back the effort.<\/p>\n The vote on Thursday drew even broader Republican support. <\/p>\n Ahead of the vote, Mr. Meeks told reporters that support for the measure signaled to the people of Ukraine that \u201cthe United States and Congress will stand and fight and work with you so that you preserve your democracy, your freedom and justice until Vladimir Putin is declared a war criminal and put away.\u201d<\/p>\n