Biden pushes for Ukraine aid despite congressional resistance
The White House confirms that the Biden administration will request additional funds to assist Ukraine. The head of Ukrainian diplomacy previously announced this move. Biden's team wants to act before the transition of power in Washington.
During a Wednesday press briefing following Biden's meeting with Trump at the White House, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan reiterated earlier announcements that the administration intends to spend all the funds allocated by Congress for Ukraine aid before the end of the term.
- Therefore, it is rational that within the next two months, we will signal to Congress that we would like to receive additional funds to support Ukraine in 2025 - so that it is in the strongest possible position for negotiations, to achieve its goals - stated Sullivan.
Republicans will thwart
The chances of passing a new package of funds for Ukraine seem slim, as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, indicated recently that Congress does not have an "appetite" to pass additional funds for Ukraine. According to the "New York Times," Johnson reportedly assured Marjorie Taylor Greene, a leading opponent of supporting Kyiv, during a closed Republican meeting on Wednesday that Congress would not allocate more funds for Ukraine. This was supposed to be one of the conditions for Greene's support of Johnson in maintaining his position.
The current administration still has the authority to transfer military equipment to Ukraine worth about $4 billion.
Biden's advisor noted that during Wednesday's two-hour conversation between the president and his successor, the outgoing head of state tried to convince Trump of the importance of continued support for Ukraine. Biden argued that it is in the interest of the USA and that Russian aggression threatens stability in Europe.
When asked what message of threats and priorities he would convey to his successor, Mike Waltz, Sullivan emphasized competition with China, stating that it will determine the future shape of the world. He also mentioned the need to curb Iran and its allies in the Middle East and Russia in Europe.
