‘Just another aid package’: US acceptance freezes Kiev

Money and time are running out. At the moment United State They can send toUkraine Just another package of Helps From now until the end of the year, unless new money is released on Capitol Hill. The United States is headed further 100 billion dollars To arm and support Kiev since Russia launched its attack in February 2022. Joe Biden It asked Congress to approve another $60 billion, but Republicans have become increasingly skeptical of the need to continue supporting the US government. Volodymyr Zelensky.

Use dry money for Kiev

“These are the means available to us, and we cannot do more than thisA spokesman for the US National Security Council said: John Kirbystressing that I Negotiation It was ongoing in Congress all weekend. If nothing changes, the Pentagon will run out of funding to replace weapons sent to Ukraine on December 30.

Meanwhile, the US Department of Defense is spending the last of its money $1.07 billion To purchase new weapons and equipment to replace those taken from stocks and sent to Ukraine. “Once these funds are committed, the Department will have exhausted the funds available to assist Ukraine“The Pentagon said in a statement letter Dated December 15 and sent to congressional leaders. The message, according to the agency BloombergIt could increase pressure on Congress to release new funds.

Deadlock in Congress

In recent weeks, I Republicans The Senate conditioned the approval of any additional funds for Ukraine on the simultaneous reinforcement Immigration rules It aims to reduce the number of people entering the United States at the southern border, as well as expel some who are already in the country. A small group of bipartisan lawmakers, along with representatives of the Biden administration, tried to craft a deal that could win some degree of bipartisan approval.

Lawmakers had not yet reached an agreement as of Monday. As if this were not enough, even if such an agreement passed in the Senate, it would likely not survive in the House of Representatives, where Republicans have a very narrow majority. US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget BrinkAt the same time, I urged the US Congress to reach an agreement on additional support for Kiev.”as soon as possible“, describing the situation as”urgent“.”It is crucial to secure and preserve the gains the Ukrainians have made so far. And also to protect our national security“, said the diplomat.

Race against time

A potential agreement could be reached in the US Senate to release additional funding for military aid to Ukraine (and Israel) this week. Democratic US Senator Joe Manchin It was clear. ““I think we will see something next week and we will continue until we finish (the negotiations).”He said in an interview with CNNAdding that the same negotiations will continue today, but Congress will not conclude them.nothing“Without coming up with one Bipartisan solution.

Senate negotiations have been underway for weeks to reach a compromise on allocating more than $160 billion in new military aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan in exchange for similar funds to strengthen the border between the United States and Mexico. Republican lawmakers said they would not support providing more aid to Ukraine without including new border security provisions. Without congressional action by the end of the year, the Joe Biden administration has warned that funding for Ukraine will run out.