Democrats in U.S. House of Representatives prepare bill to back Ukraine

That is reported by Reuters, as cited by Ukrinform.

The bill, which is focused on security aid, reconstruction efforts for Ukraine, and imposing tough sanctions on Russia, was introduced by Representative Greg Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

It is noted that the bill, which has not yet been made public, comes two weeks after bipartisan members of the Senate proposed imposing severe sanctions on Russia if it refuses to engage in good-faith peace negotiations with Ukraine.

According to aides who helped draft the bill, even if the proposal itself does not pass in the Republican-majority House, many of its provisions are likely to be included in any final broad Ukraine aid package.

“This bill obviously will be part of the legislative conversation,” one aide said.

The document consists of three main sections and provides more support for Ukraine than the Senate’s version.

The first section reaffirms U.S. support for Ukraine and NATO. It also includes measures to help Ukraine rebuild, including creating the position of a special coordinator for Ukraine reconstruction.

The second section focuses on security assistance for Kyiv, including direct loans and military financing.

The third section proposes strict sanctions and export controls against Russia targeting financial institutions, the oil and mining industries, and Russian officials.

As Ukrinform previously reported, a large bipartisan group of U.S. Senators recently unveiled a proposal for a bill that would introduce both primary and secondary sanctions against Russia, as well as anyone aiding its aggression against Ukraine.