US Congress may not approve new aid package for Ukraine until mid-December

Approval of new US aid to Ukraine may be delayed until mid-December or even longer.

Source: Bloomberg

Details: This raises questions about Washington's ability to maintain the flow of arms, which both the Biden administration and the Ukrainian government consider vital.

Ukraine's supporters in Congress are fighting an uphill battle over a large aid package that is not connected to binding bills that would prompt swift action.

The earliest Congress can wrap up negotiations and pass new aid to Ukraine is mid-December, almost two months after President Joe Biden first requested US$61 billion for Ukraine.

Senators from both parties plan to work in the coming days on an agreement on an aid package for Ukraine, along with US border needs, which they could vote on after Thanksgiving and return to Washington.

Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat with close ties to Biden, said that "we need to push ourselves to negotiate over the next week. The Ukrainians are running out of fuel, weapons and ammunition." 

He said Congress should act "on a timeline that’s going to matter."

Background:

• The White House requested nearly US$106 billion in additional funding from Congress, including aid to Israel and Ukraine. It is scheduled to be considered in the Senate after Thanksgiving, which will be celebrated in the US on 23 November.
• Republican Congressman Don Bacon said that the House of Representatives already knows what to do with the bill on aid to Ukraine, as well as how much money they want to allocate to Kyiv. In his opinion, the consideration could take place in December. 
• The Biden administration is calling on Congress to approve the White House's request for assistance to Ukraine as soon as possible to prevent serious consequences for its defence capabilities. 

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