Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson said that he does not plan to bring the issue of additional aid to Ukraine to a vote in Congress.
Points of attention
- Speaker Mike Johnson's decision not to vote on additional aid to Ukraine reflects a cautious approach towards financing decisions under the new administration.
- Despite US President Joe Biden's appeal for additional funding, political dynamics and the influence of the new president's strategy are affecting aid allocations to Ukraine.
- The proposal for $24 billion in extra assistance to Ukraine faces criticism from some Republicans, highlighting divisions in Congress over foreign military support.
- Democrats remain committed to supporting Ukraine in its battle against Russian aggression, emphasizing the importance of continued aid to the country's defense efforts.
- The White House's plan to allocate funds to finance contracts for arms supply to Ukraine and replenish military stocks demonstrates a shift in US foreign policy priorities towards supporting Ukraine's defense capabilities.
Johnson made a disturbing statement about aid to Ukraine
Answering a question from Voice of America journalist Ekaterina Lisunova, Johnson said:
It is no longer up to Joe Biden to make such a decision. We have a new president-elect, and we're going to wait and see how the new commander-in-chief strategizes about all of this.
Mike Johnson
Speaker of the US House of Representatives
So, I don't expect any funding for Ukraine to be released now.
He also believes that the election of Donald Trump is already "changing the dynamics of the Russian war against Ukraine":
We see this already happening.
Earlier, US President Joe Biden appealed to Congress for additional funding for Ukraine for 2025 in the amount of 24 billion dollars.
The chairman of the Democratic faction in the House of Representatives, Congressman Pete Aguilar, commented on this statement
Speaker Johnson, understandably, wants to wait for the new administration. He wants to follow the orders of the new administration when it comes to financing Ukraine.
Aguilar emphasized that the Democrats plan to continue "supporting Ukraine in the fight against Russian aggression."
Ukraine can receive additional assistance from the United States
US President Joe Biden asked Congress to allocate an additional $24 billion to strengthen military support for Ukraine. However, some Republicans have already criticized this idea of Biden.
The White House Office of Management and Budget proposed to include this financial assistance in a package of measures aimed at avoiding a funding freeze during the work of the next presidential administration.
Of the total amount of $24 billion, $8 billion is planned to be used to finance contracts with American companies for the supply of arms to Ukraine. Another 16 billion dollars is earmarked for replenishing the stocks of the American military arsenal.
However, Biden's initiative faced criticism from some Republicans.
