UKRAINIAN President Volodymr Zelenskyy received a 200-million-dollar promise from U.S. President Joe Biden as Kyiv appeals for more military aid to fight Russian troops.
U.S. President Joe Biden has promised another $200 million in emergency military assistance during an oval office meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymr Zelenskyy.
The meeting between the two comes a week after the U.S. Senate blocked a bill intended to provide 60 billion dollars in aid for Ukraine.
Republicans are demanding tougher border measures to control the surge of immigration on the southern border of the United States in exchange for approving aid not only for Ukraine but also for Israel, U.S. Allies in the Indo-Pacific, and humanitarian assistance to Gaza.
All in all, the package totaled $106 billion, of which 60 billion is for Ukraine.
After the meeting, Biden spoke to reporters, insisting that the U.S. Congress should pass the supplemental funding for Ukraine before breaking for recess.
The latest 200 million dollars in assistance pledged by Biden for Ukraine will come from the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA).
This move will allow the U.S. government to transfer weapons from U.S. stocks without the need for congressional approval in the event of an emergency.
Earlier, Zelenskyy met with American lawmakers on Capitol Hill to ask them for more aid as the conflict with Russia grinds on.
Zelenskyy met with U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, as well as other senators.
Although Zelenskyy has received a pledge from Biden himself, there’s still the issue regarding the passing of the supplemental funding package which includes the $60 billion for Ukraine.
Hours after Zelenskyy met with them, senate republican leader mitch McConnel was quoted saying that it would be practically impossible for U.S. Congress to pass such package before Christmas.
“All I said is that [it’s] virtually impossible even if we reach an agreement to work it out, get it through the senate, get it through the house before Christmas. Doesn’t mean it’s not important,” Mitch McConnell, Senate Republican leader stated.
McConnell said that it needed to be done as part of a larger package that included American border security policy.
Mcconnell stressed the need for the white house to stop deferring the Senate democrats regarding the negotiations and to be involved to ensure that any potential legislation can be signed.
