US's $13bn Ukraine aid bill passes first hurdle | First Thing

House passes huge aid package as Volodymyr Zelenskiy accuses Russia of carrying out genocide' against Ukrainians. Plus, how pipeline groups are posing as Indigenous champions

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The US has moved to drastically step up its support for Ukraine, with House lawmakers passing a $13bn aid bill as Volodymyr Zelenskiy condemned a Russian attack on a children's hospital as proof that a genocide" is being carried out.

Fighting stopped a humanitarian convoy from from reaching Mariupol, along one of seven corridors to besieged cities set up by Ukraine. Russian troops are reported to have seized parts of Mariupol.

How will the $13.6bn be spent? It will be split between military and humanitarian aid: $6.5bn to send troops and weapons to eastern Europe; $6.8bn for refugees and economic aid for allies.

When will the bill pass? Senate approval is expected within days.

Who else knew? The email exchange raises the prospect that others in the Willard, including Trump's former attorney Rudy Giuliani and former strategist Steve Bannon, were also aware of the scheme's unlawfulness.

How significant are the emails? The exchange weakens arguments by Eastman and the rest of the team that they believed there was no wrongdoing in Pence delaying the certification beyond 6 January.