U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., is heading to NATO headquarters in Brussels to learn more about the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He departed after the Senate passed a $40.1 billion aid package for the war-torn country on Thursday.
“I will be leading a delegation to Brussels to receive an update from NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg on Ukraine and why the new resources provided in this bill are urgently needed,” Leahy said in a statement Thursday.
As part of a bipartisan delegation traveling to Brussels, Leahy plans to discuss the newly approved aid, as well as the possible additions of Finland and Sweden to NATO, Leahy spokesperson David Carle said.
Those additions would require U.S. Senate approval. According to a Politico story, even Republicans who opposed aid to Ukraine seem to support the idea of welcoming the two Scandinavian nations to the alliance.
On Thursday, the Senate passed H.R.7691, the Ukraine aid bill, by a vote of 86-11. The money will go toward sending weapons and other military supplies to Ukraine. It will also provide disaster assistance to help refugees and address disruptions to the global food supply.
As chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Vermont’s senior senator played a key role in passing the aid package.
“The bill provides $40.1 billion in critical military and humanitarian assistance for Ukraine, to help defend Ukraine’s sovereignty and democracy abroad, and to address the rising, global hunger crisis,” Leahy said in a statement.
The 11 senators who opposed the bill were Republicans, though the measure had widespread support from both parties. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., supported the legislation, which was delayed by objections from his colleague, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky.
Congress previously approved $14 billion in aid to Ukraine in March.
