The United States government has mobilized aggressively to reassure its allies about providing aid to Ukraine after Congress approved new funding for it in legislation passed this weekend that ensures the payment of federal spending for the next six months this country has been excluded for weeks. This Tuesday, US President Joe Biden held a conference call with key partners supporting Kiev to coordinate the next steps in the conflict, the White House reported.
Biden convened the call, which was also joined by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau; the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the President of the European Council, Charles Michel; German Chancellor Olaf Scholz; the leaders of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, the United Kingdom, Rishi Sunak, and Japan, Fumio Kishida; NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg; the presidents of Poland and Romania, Andrzej Duda and Klaus Iohannis, respectively; and French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna.
With this conversation, the White House wants to underline the message to allies that, despite the setback in Congress due to the opposition of the most radical Republicans, the United States will continue its aid to Kiev, of which it is the main supporter.
A fierce infighting between the moderate wing and the Trump wing in the Republican Party in the U.S. House of Representatives led to a stalemate last week in negotiations over expanding funding for federal institutions. The impasse, which was on the verge of forcing the suspension of non-essential government operations, was only resolved – for now, by mid-November – after both houses of Congress, the House and Senate, agreed to exclude funding for Ukraine the final bill. The White House in August requested $24 billion to cover Ukraine’s needs through the next fiscal year. Once opposition in the House of Commons was clear; The Senate – where a majority of Republicans and Democrats support Kiev – approved $6.1 billion for Kiev.
The denial of funds instigated by the ultras in Congress caused consternation in the White House and among Kiev supporters of both parties. Although Biden signed the bill Saturday evening, he addressed Americans the next day to emphasize that Washington would support the country invaded by Russia for as long as necessary.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin delivered the same message of calm to Ukrainian forces on Monday in a phone call with his counterpart in Kiev, Rustem Umerov, to “reaffirm the United States’ continued commitment in the face of Russian aggression.” .,” said the Pentagon.
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In Congress – and as Republicans in the House continue to wage a bitter battle over passage of this law that could cost the institution’s president, fellow Republican Kevin McCarthy, his job – lawmakers are considering options to ensure that Ukraine doesn’t stay unprotected. Although the Pentagon has a balance of about $6 billion, the U.S. funding will run out in November unless Congress approves new items. “We cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted,” Biden said on Sunday. “We don’t have much time and the urgency is great.”
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby insisted on this idea at a White House press conference: A disruption in aid that deprives Ukrainian forces of arms or ammunition could have catastrophic consequences. Ukraine had six to eight weeks of good weather left to continue its counteroffensive and retake occupied territory before the onset of winter, he said. “Time is not on our side,” the senior official noted, calling on Congress to help renew the treaty as quickly as possible.
Washington is Kiev’s main backer in the war, which began when Russian troops invaded the former Soviet republic in February last year. Since then, the U.S. Congress has approved nearly $113 billion in economic, military and humanitarian contributions to Ukraine.
The White House has not yet provided any further information on the content of the conversation with the allies this Tuesday. President Andrzej Duda announced from Warsaw that Biden had expressed his belief that Congress would ultimately approve the aid. The American president “first told us about the situation in the United States and about the true political situation in Ukraine. “He assured us that there is support for support.” For his part, the tenant of the White House received the commitment of the other participants to provide assistance, said the Polish head of state, who announced that the heads of state and government were also involved the reconstruction plans for the attacked country.
“Good conversation with the NATO leaders,” Stoltenberg said on his account on X, the old Twitter. “As Russia continues its brutal war, we all remain committed to supporting Ukraine for as long as necessary.”
Good call with #BORN Executives moderated by @POTUS. As Russia continues its brutal war, we are all determined to support it #Ukraine as long as it takes.
— Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) October 3, 2023
Yet despite Biden’s optimistic calls and the vast majority of US lawmakers favoring continued support for Kyiv; People on Capitol Hill are resigned to the fact that it is becoming increasingly difficult to hold new games for Kiev. Especially as the campaign progresses and the November 2024 election approaches, with all House congressmen and a third of senators vying for their seats.
Last week’s votes in the House of Commons made it clear that Conservatives’ resistance to continuing what they see as a blank check for a distant country is growing. Almost half of the Republican caucus in this institution spoke out against the usual allocation of $300 million for the purchase of weapons and the training of Ukrainian soldiers. One of the options that Republicans in the House of Commons are now proposing is to link aid to Ukraine with tightening control measures on the border with Mexico.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky traveled to Washington 10 days ago to implore lawmakers not to relent in their aid to the invaded country. Defeat, he warned, would leave an emboldened Russia at the gates of Europe, with serious consequences for the West.
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