Biden and White House continue to push Congress to pass package with support for Ukraine

US President Joe Biden and his administration have continued to push Congress to compromise and approve additional funding for US national security needs, including support for Ukraine.

Source: Ukrinform news agency, citing John Kirby, US National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications

Quote: "I won’t talk about what we’re doing that you’re – that you’re not seeing in the media. But our team is staying very, very closely engaged with members of Congress, both sides of the aisle, as they continue to pursue these negotiations. And we’ll see where it goes."

"You just saw us announce yet another security assistance package for Ukraine here yesterday. There is not too many days left in the year. And there’s not too many more opportunities to provide security assistance to Ukraine."

Details: Kirby also emphasised that the administration is urging lawmakers to pass a request for additional funding for national defence needs, including support for Ukraine and Israel.

He pointed out that President Biden personally continues to urge lawmakers to act on this issue. He said the administration is ready to participate in "good-faith negotiations" and make compromises.

However, he continued, both sides must do it in order to move forward.

"The President is working this very hard. The whole team is working this very hard," the White House representative noted.

Previously: House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, refused to support the Senate Democratic leader's call for a one-week extension of both houses of Congress to pass additional funding before Christmas.

Background:

• US President Joe Biden once again called on the members of the US Congress not to postpone the decision on additional funding to help Ukraine, but to make it before the Christmas holidays.
• At the same time, Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader in the Senate, said that Congress is unlikely to approve an additional package of funding for Ukraine until Christmas, even if both parties conclude an agreement that provides for this in the coming days.
• The main stumbling block between Republicans and Democrats is the issue of migration on the southern border of the United States.
• At a meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on 12 December, US President Joe Biden announced that he had signed a decree to provide US$200 million in military aid to Ukraine.
• After meeting with Zelenskyy, Biden said that his administration would continue to help Ukraine but warned that opportunities to do this are running out due to the lack of additional funding approved by Congress.

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