Mitt Romney attends a confidential briefing on aid to Ukraine in Washington, D.C., Dec. 5, 2023. Photo by Michael Reynolds EPA
On Tuesday, Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky unexpectedly canceled his connection with the United States. The call, which was supposed to call for continued funding from the U.S., sparked a heated debate over the crisis on Ukraine's border. At a secret briefing, several Republican senators chose to withdraw due to Zelensky's absence.
Zelenskyy had planned to update senators on the Ukraine-Russia conflict at the meeting and urge them to support a procedural vote on the emergency aid package scheduled for Wednesday. The aid package includes more than $60 billion in funding for Ukraine's capital, Kyiv. The White House has warned that if action is not taken in time, existing funds will be exhausted by the end of the year, which could lead to Russia's Vladimir Putin gaining the upper hand in this war.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced that due to"Last minute"An accident occurred, and Zelensky was unable to attend the meeting. Despite this, Schumer decided to continue with the briefing. However, the meeting eventually turned into a heated verbal argument.
Senator Mitt Romney from Utah left the meeting early before the end of the meeting and confirmed"Some"Republican colleagues also left the table. They left because of their frustration with the failure to take steps to address the migration crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border while providing aid to Ukraine.
Republican members in the Senate said they supported additional funding for Ukraine on the condition that Democrats accept reforms to the asylum system and strengthen border security measures, but those demands have been rejected by Democrats.
Romney noted"Republicans had just walked out of the briefing because those present were not willing to discuss in good faith what was needed to reach a deal. "
Shalanda Young, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, wrote in a letter sent Monday:"We are running out of money and the time is ticking. "
Zelenskyy was scheduled to address U.S. senators via Zoom on Tuesday afternoon, but the speech was canceled without any explanation. The White House urged Congress to agree to further aid to Ukraine to help it repel Russian forces. Press Service of Ukraine Reuters.
Joe Biden is seeking a comprehensive aid package of nearly $106 billion (£84 billion) for Ukraine, Israel and other countries in need. However, Republicans are increasingly questioning aid to Ukraine, and even those who support aid are insisting on making reform of the U.S.-Mexico border policy a condition of approval to stem the influx of migrants.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, responded to Young's letter on Tuesday, outlining his caucus's demands for border security and reiterating that funding for Israel and Ukraine should not be included in the same bill.
Johnson criticized:"Instead of discussing reasonable reform measures with congressional Republicans, Biden has chosen to ignore reality and make political posturing. We stand ready and willing to work with ** to develop a robust border security program to protect the interests of the American people. "
Talks on a border security package broke down over the weekend and are expected to resume this week, according to aides.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said on Monday that they"Still on the negotiating table"。
The U.S. Congress has allocated $111 billion in aid to Ukraine, including $67 billion in military procurement, $27 billion in economic and civilian assistance, and $10 billion in humanitarian assistance. As of mid-November, all but about 3 percent of military funding had been exhausted, Yang wrote in the letter.
The new proposal proposes an additional $61 billion for Ukraine, mainly to buy from the United States**;At the same time, an additional $14.3 billion was provided to Israel, including $10.6 billion for military equipment. In addition, the plan includes nearly $14 billion for border security, as well as aid to the Asia-Pacific region and other U.S.*** provisions.
Biden said he had slowed some of his military aid to Kyiv to extend the supply chain before waiting for Congress to approve further appropriations.
Jack Sullivan, an adviser to the United States, said on Monday"Congress must decide whether to continue to support Ukraine's fight for freedom and be part of the 50-nation alliance championed by Biden**, or ignore the lessons we have learned from history and let Putin succeed. This decision is extremely important. We hope that both parties in Congress will make the right choice. "
At the same time, the Republican-controlled parliament in the United States has passed an independent comprehensive plan to aid Israel to help Israel cope with the conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, while the White House insists that all priorities must be met together.
Biden's allies in Congress, who have expressed deep concern over the mounting death toll in the Israeli-Hamas conflict, are pushing for **demanding that Israel commit to reducing civilians before providing more military aid** and allow aid to be sent to Gaza.
Senator Bernie Sanders stated this Monday that billions of dollars in military aid to Israel from the United States without any strings attached is"Irresponsible"。
Sanders noted in a speech:"Netanyahu's actions are not only immoral, but also a violation of international law, and the United States should not be complicit in these acts. "
Zelensky's abrupt cancellation of the ** connection with the United States has exacerbated the controversy within the United States over aid to Ukraine, which greatly reflects the differences in the US Congress on the issue of Ukraine aid and US-Mexico border policy reform. Republican criticism of the Democrats' proposed asylum system and border security policies has complicated the Ukraine aid package. This controversy is not only about the long-term ability of the United States to respond to the Ukraine crisis, but also testing the decision-making ability and cooperation spirit of the United States in international and domestic politics.
Reported by AFP and The Guardian.