Eighteen Republican lawmakers defied party leadership on Thursday to side with Democrats in approving the first major aid package to Ukraine of Donald Trump’s second term. The bill, which passed in a 296-195 House vote and advances to the Senate where it needs 60 votes to go to Trump’s desk, would provide $1.3 billion in security assistance to Ukraine, authorize $8 billion in arms sales, and extend a Biden-era military lend-lease program. It would also expand sanctions against Russia, including imposing new oil and gas sanctions at a time when the Trump Administration has rolled some back to alleviate rising energy prices resulting from the U.S. war with Iran . “Today’s vote was a victory for Ukraine, for the United States, for freedom, and for international law.  It was made possible because Democrats and Republicans came together behind an effort that is bigger than partisan politics,” Rep. Steny Hoyer (D, Md.), who co-sponsored the bill that was introduced by Rep.…