Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky unexpectedly canceled his planned appearance before the US Senate on Tuesday. “Something came up at the last minute,” said Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Zelensky was expected to appeal to the House of Congress for further military support.
Zelensky was represented by his chief of staff and Ukraine’s defense minister, who spoke to politicians from both chambers. US President Biden asked parliament in October for 61.4 billion dollars (56.5 billion euros) for Ukraine. However, an agreement in the House of Representatives is made more difficult by the fact that there is disagreement within the Republican faction about aid to Ukraine.
Ukraine becomes a toy
Parts of the Republicans, who form the majority in the House of Representatives, are demanding a significant tightening of migration policies at the border with Mexico in exchange for supporting a new package for Ukraine. American media suspect that Zelensky may have canceled his appearance because Republicans in the US Senate are now linking further aid to a new border policy.
The United States is Ukraine’s main military backer in the war against Russian invading forces. Since the start of Russia’s war of aggression in February 2022, the United States has provided or promised more than $44 billion in military aid to Ukraine.
The dispute over aid to Ukraine is taking place against the backdrop of the overarching battle over the US government’s overall budget. In mid-November, after tough negotiations, a new interim budget was adopted, without which a budget freeze and the closure of the federal authorities would have come into effect.
However, the transition budget, parts of which are valid until mid-January and others until early February, does not contain any new aid for Ukraine.
Zelenskyj during the G7 meeting
It is believed that Zelenskyj can now have his say on the international stage. The G7 states of economically strong democracies are coming together for an online meeting chaired by Japan. Japanese government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno announced this on Wednesday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also expected to attend the meeting led by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Wednesday.
One problem could be that, according to Washington, the funds approved by the US Congress for Ukraine in its defensive battle against Russia will be completely exhausted by the end of the year.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
