Republicans block US financial aid to Ukraine. US President Biden talks about the “greatest Christmas gift possible” for the head of the Kremlin. Republicans want to tie their support to new funding for protecting US borders.
US President Joe Biden warns the Republican Party about a “Christmas gift” for Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin, given the lack of financial aid to Ukraine. Congress must pass a law approving the aid “before giving Putin the biggest Christmas present possible,” Biden said at the White House after a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
Zelenskiy had already asked Washington for urgently needed US military aid for his country, which was under attack from Russia, but it fell on deaf ears of key decision-makers. The Republican leader of the US House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, made it clear after his meeting with Zelensky on Tuesday that the Republican line had not changed.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Johnson, did not show any concessions, despite a personal conversation with the Ukrainian President. The Biden administration demands that Parliament release billions to Ukraine, but does not present a clear strategy on how the country wants to win the war with support, he said later. There needs to be clarity about what is happening with money in Ukraine and how spending should be monitored. He emphasized that all spending must put national security first.
Republicans set conditions
US Republicans want to tie the provision of more aid to Ukraine to new funding for border protection. Johnson once again described the situation on the US southern border with Mexico as an “absolute catastrophe.” He maintained that the House of Representatives could take a Christmas vacation before a vote on new aid to Ukraine. This means that a deal would not be possible before January. Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell also made clear that although he was a strong supporter of Ukraine, the release of aid must be linked to investments in border protection.
The adoption of more aid this year is still a long way off. (APA/dpa)