Ukraine aid back on US agenda – but still at mercy of unruly Republicans

Speaker Mike Johnson averted government shutdown but faces far-right threat of removal over $60bn national security package

With the government funding fight resolved, the US House of Representatives is expected to soon turn to a long-stalled national security package that would send military assistance to Ukraine, as well as Israel and other US allies.

Despite increasingly desperate pleas from Kyiv, the Republican House speaker, Mike Johnson, had refused to bring the wartime aid bill to the floor until Congress finalized a government funding bill, which it did on Friday - before leaving Washington for a two-week recess.