U.S. President Joe Biden Urges Republicans to Back Aid for Ukraine, Expresses Frustration with Political Brinkmanship
WASHINGTON, Oct 1 (Reuters) – President Joe Biden called on congressional Republicans on Sunday to support a bill that would provide additional aid to Ukraine, criticizing the political brinkmanship that almost resulted in a government shutdown.
Biden’s remarks came after Congress passed a stopgap bill on Saturday to extend government funding for over a month and avert a shutdown that would have left millions of federal employees without a paycheck and disrupted essential services.
While the bill received bipartisan support, it prompted Republican Matt Gaetz to vow to remove Kevin McCarthy, the Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Notably, the bill did not include aid for Ukraine, which has been a key ally of the United States after facing aggression from Russia. Biden, both domestically and internationally, has been rallying support for Ukraine and emphasized the importance of maintaining that support.
Biden stated that Republicans had promised to provide Ukraine with aid through a separate vote. He stressed the significance of continuing America’s support for Ukraine and called on Speaker McCarthy to keep his commitment to secure the passage of the aid.
“We cannot under any circumstances allow America’s support for Ukraine to be interrupted. I fully expect the speaker to keep his commitment to secure the passage and support needed to help Ukraine as they defend themselves against aggression and brutality,” Biden told reporters at the White House.
In response to questions about whether he could trust McCarthy to honor deals, Biden stated, “We just made one about Ukraine, so we’ll find out.”
A White House official clarified that Biden was referring to Republican promises of passing a separate bill focusing on aid for Ukraine.
During his visit to Washington last month, Biden assured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of the United States’ unwavering support in repelling Russian invaders despite opposition from some Republican lawmakers.
Biden urged Republicans to act swiftly to avoid a future crisis in November, emphasizing the need to end political brinkmanship.
“The brinkmanship has to end. And there shouldn’t be another … crisis,” he said. “I strongly urge my Republican friends in Congress not to wait. Don’t waste time as you did all summer. Pass a year-long budget agreement. Honor the deal we made a few months ago.”
When asked about whether Democrats should support McCarthy if his job as House speaker was at stake, Biden stated that he would leave that decision up to Democratic leaders in Congress.
The issue of aid for Ukraine remains a critical topic, and Biden’s call for bipartisan action signifies his commitment to maintaining support for Ukraine in its ongoing battle against Russian aggression.
Reporting by Jeff Mason; additional reporting by Jason Lange and Leah Douglas; editing by Scott Malone, Grant McCool and Nick Zieminski