WASHINGTON – House Speaker Mike Johnson Johnson told reporters Tuesday after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that there was no solution in sight to the impasse over President Biden’s $61.4 billion request. dollars in new funds for Ukraine.
Johnson (R-La.) said he told Zelesnky during a private meeting that “we are with him and against him.” [Russian President Vladimir] Putin,” but that he was concerned about the lack of a plan to resolve the conflict and oversee the proposed spending.
“Since the day I was handed the gavel as spokesperson, I have asked the White House for clarity. “We need a clear articulation of the strategy to allow Ukraine to win and so far their responses have been insufficient,” Johnson said.
“They have not given us the clarity and details that we requested over and over again since literally 24 hours after they handed me the gavel… So what the Biden administration appears to be asking for is billions of additional dollars without oversight adequate, no clear strategy to win, and none of the responses that I believe are owed to the American people.”
Zelensky, 45, arrived at the Capitol on Tuesday morning to court skeptics about additional U.S. aid before heading to the White House to join Biden in warning that funds for Kiev to withstand the crisis are running out. invasion of Moscow that has lasted almost two years.
“Congress needs to approve supplemental funding,” Biden said during an afternoon meeting with Zelensky in the Oval Office, before a news conference.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrives at the Capitol on Tuesday morning. fake images
“Ukraine can win,” Zelensky told Biden.
The Ukrainian leader, dressed in his now-customary war suit of sweatshirt and olive green pants, was flanked Tuesday morning by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Minority Leader , Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), both supporters of more funding, when he arrived for a closed-door briefing with senators.
Zelensky’s subsequent meeting with Johnson was seen as crucial in his attempt to break the deadlock amid growing opposition to the funding both in US polls and among lawmakers.
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The president has tried to forge a middle-of-the-road approach, including supporting greater oversight and congressional Republican efforts to tie Ukraine funds to changes in U.S.-Mexico border policy.
“In the last three months alone, October, November and December, we have had more illegal border crossings than in any entire year during the Obama administration,” Johnson said after meeting with Zelensky. “The American people see this. They feel it intensely. “They see all the terrible social ills that come from this and they need to be addressed.”
The speaker added: “I have made this very clear – again, from the beginning, when the gavel was handed to me – that we needed clarity about what we are doing in Ukraine and how we will have adequate oversight of the spending of precious taxpayer dollars. .and we needed transformative change at the border. So far we have achieved neither.”
Johnson went on to say that “the Senate has been absent on this” and argued that the buildup of legislation “is not a matter for the House at this time.” The problem is with the White House and the Senate, and I implore them to do their job because the moment is urgent. And we want to do the right thing here.”
Earlier Tuesday, Johnson told radio host Hugh Hewitt that he was inclined to let the House take its Christmas break without reaching a deal on aid spending.
Zelensky warns that funds are running out to resist Moscow’s invasion. REUTERS
Johnson told The Post in an interview last month that he was interested in redirecting more than $300 billion in seized Russian assets to finance the war, but that idea has not come to fruition.
In October, President Biden requested another $61.4 billion in funding for Kiev, on top of the $113 billion already approved, and asked Congress to tie it to a more popular $14.3 billion disbursement to Israel following the attacks. Hamas on October 7 that killed about 1,200 people.
Biden and his advisers have repeatedly claimed that funds are running out and that without American help the Ukrainian government may be unable to stop the Russian invasion.
Republicans have responded that the Biden administration has given no indication of what would constitute a victory for Ukraine.
“They haven’t explained to us what the ending is,” Johnson told Hewitt on Tuesday. “I mean, our U.S. ambassador to Ukraine told me in my office just a few weeks ago that she believes the endgame is to return to the 1991 border lines, that is, to retake Crimea.
“And I said ‘Ma’am, are you aware that that’s not what your boss says?’ I mean, not even the White House itself knows what the strategy is.”
Zelesnky is also heading to the White House for a press conference with President Biden. POOL/AFP via Getty Images
The House approved funding for Israel without Ukraine’s broader request last month, reflecting substantial resistance to increased funding in the lower chamber.
Some senators who oppose additional funding for Ukraine spoke about Zelensky’s visit, a year after he received a hero’s welcome last December when he addressed a joint meeting of Congress.
After Zelensky said Monday, “if there is anyone inspired by the unresolved problems on Capitol Hill it is simply [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and his sick clique,” Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio). answered, “It’s great to see that Zelensky has all the nuances of a liberal resistance on Twitter. Shameful. And it is disgusting that he is coming to the Senate to lobby against Republicans while we fight for greater border security.”
A Pew Research Center poll released this month found that 31% of Americans say the United States is providing “too much” support to Ukraine, while 18% say it is “not enough” and 29% say it is “too much.” more or less correct.” There was a strong partisan bias: 48% of Republicans said “too much,” compared to 16% of Democrats.
A Wall Street Journal poll released Monday found that 37% of voters said the United States was doing “too much” for Ukraine, 20% said “not enough” and 31% said Washington was doing “about as much.” correct” to support Kiev.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn