US President Joe Biden has vowed that the United States will not abandon war-torn Ukraine and urged Republicans to stop dabbling with the threat of a “shutdown”.
The United States avoided last-minute paralysis of its federal administration when the Senate passed an emergency measure allowing temporary continuation of its funding just three hours before the shutdown was enacted. However, this emergency measure, which extends the deadline by 45 days, excludes any additional aid to Ukraine.
To reassure Kiev, President Joe Biden promised this Sunday that Washington would not abandon his country in the war and called on Republicans to stop “playing” with the threat of a “shutdown.”
“I want to say to our allies, the American people and the Ukrainian people: you can count on our support. We will not abandon Ukraine,” he said in a televised address from the White House.
“There is a sense of urgency” to approve a new funding measure for Ukraine in the coming days and weeks, Joe Biden said, also castigating Republicans who are calling for deep cuts in government spending.
“Enough is enough. (…) I’ve had enough of risky activities,” he complained. And he continued: “This policy (…) must stop. There must be no further crises.”
Kiev announced on Sunday “cooperation” with the United States
For his part, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko assured that “the Ukrainian government is actively working with its American partners to ensure that the new decision is made on the American budget.” […] will include new resources to support Ukraine.
US lawmakers will now consider a separate $24 billion military and humanitarian aid bill for Ukraine that President Joe Biden wanted to include in the budget. According to American media, a vote could take place early next week.
A handful of Trumpist Republican elected officials are refusing to provide new aid money to Kyiv because they believe those funds should be allocated to addressing the migration crisis.
International support for Ukraine is crucial in the country’s fight against Russia. The United States has helped Kiev the most, releasing around $110 billion in civilian and military aid since February 2022.