2023-12-13 00:48:17
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has appealed to Washington for urgently needed US military aid for his country under attack by Russia, but has apparently fallen on deaf ears among key decision-makers. It is “virtually impossible” for Congress to pass an additional funding package before Christmas – even if there is an agreement in the coming days, says Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell.
Money for border protection
There will only be a law to support Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific region if US President Joe Biden from the Democrats and the Republicans engages in talks to restrict the crossing of migrants at the border between the US and Mexico. But even then, it would be virtually impossible to work it out and get it through the Senate and House before Christmas, McConnell said.
The Republican chairman of the US House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, had previously made a clear statement: The Biden administration is demanding that Parliament release billions for Ukraine, but is not presenting a clear strategy as to how the country wants to win the war with the support . There needs to be clarity about what is happening with the money in Ukraine and how the spending should be monitored. Meanwhile, Zelensky is running out of time.
After the talks with leading members of Congress, Zelenskyj nevertheless spoke of “more than positive” signals. “But we know that we have to separate words from concrete results,” Zelensky said on Tuesday at a press conference with US President Joe Biden in the White House, according to a translation. Zelensky emphasized that he had addressed what was important to him in the talks. In the morning, he spoke behind closed doors with senators and the Republican chairman of the US House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, among others.
Further help is on the horizon and the clock is ticking
The release of new US aid to Ukraine is currently being blocked by a dispute in the US Parliament. More and more Republicans are expressing doubts about support for Ukraine or rejecting it completely. The majority of US President Joe Biden’s Democrats, on the other hand, are campaigning for new support for Ukraine – but do not have the necessary majority to get it through parliament alone. The clock is ticking because the US government says the funds approved so far will be used up by the end of the year.
The chairman of the House of Representatives, Johnson, now emphasized that national security must come first in all spending. He once again described the situation at the southern border of the USA with Mexico as an “absolute catastrophe”. The US Republicans want to tie the release of further aid to Ukraine to new funding for border protection. Johnson made it clear that the House of Representatives could go on Christmas vacation before a vote on new aid to Ukraine.
McConnell also made it clear that although he was a staunch supporter of Ukraine, the release of aid must be linked to investments in border protection.
Democrats speak of a “powerful meeting”
However, the Democratic majority leader in the US Senate, Chuck Schumer, spoke of a “powerful meeting” with Zelensky. During the conversation with senators behind closed doors, Zelensky explained in great detail what kind of help he needed and how it would help Ukraine win . He also made it clear that a Putin victory would also be “very, very dangerous for the United States.”
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On Tuesday afternoon (local time), US President Joe Biden wanted to receive Selenskyj in the White House. It is Zelensky’s third visit to Washington since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression. It is in stark contrast to his trip to the US capital a year ago. At that time, he was able to give a speech to both houses of Congress and was hailed as a hero.
New US sanctions against Russia
Meanwhile, the US government announced new sanctions against Russia. The US State Department said that “more than 250 people and institutions” were affected. Several networks “used by Russia to circumvent sanctions, numerous suppliers from third countries for the Russian military industry and other Russian financial institutions” were affected. As a result of the sanctions, potential assets of those affected in the USA are usually blocked. US citizens or people located in the United States are prohibited from doing business with the sanctioned companies and individuals.
Zelenskyj had already completed a number of appointments on Monday. He also met, among others, the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva, and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. In a speech at a university, he warned that Putin was destroying the lives of people in Ukrainian cities, but his real goal was freedom. “You can count on Ukraine, and we hope we can count on you too.”
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