Is support for Ukraine wavering?
Congress is haggling over funding for Ukraine as the brutal conflict with Russia rages on with no end in sight. And while President Joe Biden and the State Department have pledged their "unwavering support" for Ukraine, is the supposedly resolute support of the U.S. fading?
The White House expressed confidence Tuesday that Congress will continue to support aid for Ukraine despite House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's ousting from his speakership.
“Regardless of what happens in the House of Representatives,” said John Kirby, a White House spokesman on national security issues, “all the House leadership is supportive of continuing to help Ukraine and the vast majority of House members on the Republican side are in support.”
But while the White House is insisting aid to Kyiv won't budge, the House is dealing with an unprecedented, chaotic situation: Intra-party cleavages, no clear leader and another looming government shutdown deadline.
Hi I'm Nicole with the news to know about Russia and Ukraine. We're going to dive into the discourse over funding for Kyiv, but first a few updates on the conflict:
- Russia is sending a message that it's ready to fight in Ukraine for the long run. Defense spending will make up nearly 30% of the Russian government's expenditures in 2024, more than doubling the figure from 2021, the year before the Kremlin invaded Ukraine.
- Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said his country will implement the seven recommendations the EU requires to start membership negotiations, and that admission into the bloc "is only a matter of time.''
- The Ukrainian men's gymnastics team qualified for the Paris Olympics on Sunday, earning the last spot in the 12-team field championships after Russia, the reigning Olympic champion, was banned from the world championships.
White House vows US support for Ukraine won’t waver despite McCarthy losing job
Biden is pushing Congress to approve additional aid to help Ukraine fight Russia after Congress passed a continuing resolution over the weekend to avert a government shutdown for several weeks.
But that last-minute effort to keep the government open lacked Ukraine funding in a move to appease hardline Republicans. A growing number of far-right Republicans in the House oppose continued support of Ukraine.
McCarthy had backed Ukraine funding in the past but said he wants future financial support for Ukraine to be tied to additional security on the U.S.-Mexico border. Now it's unclear who will be the next House speaker and whether that person will also push for Ukraine funding to be linked to border security.
“We don't believe they should be tied, or one dependent on the other, but both are important,” Kirby said.
Biden held a phone call with NATO allies Tuesday in which he “reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to supporting Ukraine for as long as it takes as it,” the White House said.
“As winter fast approaches, it is imperative that we help them take advantage of every single day,” Kirby said. “A lapse of support for even a short period of time can make all the difference on the battlefield.”
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