War in Ukraine: Joe Biden signs a very symbolic law to accelerate the shipment of weapons

US President Joe Biden signing a military assistance bill to Ukraine on May 9, 2022. This device had not been used since World War II.

© KEVIN LAMARQUE/REUTERS

Text by: RFI Labo

2 mins

In the United States, Joe Biden has just signed a law to speed up the shipment of military equipment to Ukraine.

A measure which is also a symbol, since in full commemoration of the end of the Second World War, it reactivates a device created at that time. 

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“ 

 ,” Joe Biden said.

Congress agrees: it passed the text last month by an overwhelming majority – 417 votes to 10. 

This lend-lease mechanism should make it possible to speed up arms shipments to Ukraine.

It is based on a program dating back to 1941: at the time, it was about sending military equipment to Europe to help it resist Hitler, when the United States was not still at war.

The new law therefore recalls a decisive contribution of the country during the Second World War.

Joe Biden also signed it this Monday, May 9, in a sort of response to the parade organized the same day by Moscow to celebrate the 1945 victory against Nazi Germany. 

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With this text, which gives him extensive powers, Joe Biden clearly places himself in the footsteps of Franklin Roosevelt, who led the country during the war – he also regularly insists on his desire to lead the fight of democracies against regimes. authoritarian.

This did not escape Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who sees the new text as a “

”: “ 

 ,” he said.

All of our daily, live coverage of the war in Ukraine.

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• United States

• Ukraine

• Russia

• Defense

• Second World War

• Volodymyr Zelensky

• Joe Biden