Sharjah 24 – AFP: The US Congress approved $12.3 billion in aid Friday to help Ukraine battle its Russia as part of a stopgap spending bill that averts a chaotic government shutdown ahead of a midnight deadline.

The package includes $3 billion for arms, supplies and salaries for Ukraine's military and authorises President Joe Biden to direct the Pentagon to transfer $3.7 billion in weapons and other hardware to Ukraine.

The so-called "continuing resolution" -- passed by 230 votes to 201, with 10 Republicans joining the Democrats -- also provides $4.5 billion for Kyiv to keep the country's finances stable and keep the government running.

The allocation takes the US contribution to the war effort to $65 billion. It was approved just hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin annexed four Moscow-occupied Ukrainian regions, in defiance of warnings from the West.