Ukraine: US House passes bill for aid, sanctions on Russia

Ukraine: US House passes bill for aid, sanctions on Russia June 5, 2026What you need to know - US lawmakers pass Ukraine Support Act in defiance of Trump - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposes Putin meeting on ending war Read below for a roundup of news related to the Ukraine war on June 5, 2026. Tired of missing our real-time updates? Click here to add us as a Preferred Source on Google. Then tap the "Star" or "Preferred" to keep DW News at the top of your feed. US lawmakers pass Ukraine Support Act in defiance of Trump The US House of Representatives on Thursday passed a legislation which would aid Ukraine and place new sanctions on the Russian economy. The Ukraine Support Act includes measures to help Ukraine rebuild after the war with over $1 billion (€860 million) in assistance and up to $8 billion in direct loans. It also imposes sanctions and export controls on Russian financial institutions, oil companies and officials. The move is yet another sign that Republican representatives are willing to defy the party line to push back on US President Donald Trump. The House voted 226 to 195 in favor of the bill. It has a slim majority of Republicans meaning over a dozen of them voted with Democrats to push the bill through. This came only a day after the House passed a resolution to limit Trump's powers in the Iran war, again with some Republican support. The split between otherwise united Republicans comes just months before the critical US midterm elections which is likely to be seen as a referendum to Trump's war in Iran. What does this mean for Ukraine? Not much. The future of the Ukraine Support Act remains uncertain. The resolution will now have to be approved by the Senate, where Republicans also hold a thin majority. If the Senate were to pass the measure, Trump would be expected to veto it, making this a largely symbolic move. American politicians from both parties were strongly in support of Ukraine when Russia launched its invasion over four years ago. However, several Trump allies have grown cooler towards Kyiv in his second stint at the White House. As a result, US aid to Ukraine has slowed dramatically. Ukraine's Zelenskyy proposes Putin meeting on ending war In an open letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was willing to meet face-to-face and end the Ukraine war "through direct engagement between us." "Ukraine is ready for a full ceasefire for the duration of the negotiations," he added in the letter published on the Ukrainian presidency's website. In one of the few times Zelenskyy has reached out directly to Putin since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, the Ukrainian leader said Russians were getting tired of the conflict, and warned Ukraine would "continue fighting for its existence" if Putin did not "personally come to the conclusion that it is time to end this war." Zelenskyy's letter comes as Putin on Thursday told the heads of international news agencies at a St. Petersburg economic conference that Russia still holds the upper hand in the war. Welcome to our coverage Good morning! and welcome to DW's Ukraine blog. The lower house of the US Congress has passed the Ukraine Support Act with some Republican support, as US politicians express their displeasure ahead of key midterm elections. The vote is largely symbolic and the Act is unlikely to pass the Senate and then US President Donald Trump's desk. Ukraine and Hungary reached an agreement on long-standing ethnic minority issues between the two countries. This agreement will boost Ukraine's bid to join the European Union as Budapest would drop its veto on the matter. Kyiv has been campaigning to formally join the EU, partly to bolster its security against the full-scale Russian Invasion which began over four years ago. Meanwhile, Ukraine's Zelenskyy has proposed a face-to-face meeting with Vladimir Putin in an open letter to the Russian leader, and end the war through direct talks. Zelenskyy's letter comes as Putin on Thursday told the heads of international news agencies at a St. Petersburg economic conference that Russia still holds the upper hand in the war. All this, while the two countries continue to exchange drones and missiles.