Speaker Mike Johnson blocks Ukraine aid as Biden's term wanes
Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House, has ruled out the acceptance of a new aid package for Ukraine by the current Congress, despite a request from President Joe Biden. Johnson announced he would await instructions from the new president on this matter.
The Speaker's response came on Wednesday to a request from the Biden administration, which asked for the inclusion of $24 billion for Ukraine aid, comprising $16 billion to replenish U.S. arsenals and $8 billion for purchasing new weapons for Kyiv in the negotiated budget provision.
"’I'm not planning to do that. As we predicted and as I said to all of you, weeks before the election, if Donald Trump is elected it will change the dynamic of the Russian war on Ukraine, and we’re seeing that happen," Johnson said during a press conference
We have a newly elected president and we’re going to wait and take the new Commander in Chief’s direction on all that so I don’t expect any Ukraine funding to come up now," he added.
Biden won’t make it in time
President Biden stated that by the end of his term, he would use the funds allocated by Congress in the last aid package for Ukraine. Regarding military equipment, less than £5 billion remains. According to reports from the "Wall Street Journal" and CNN, Biden is unlikely to achieve this, partly due to logistical challenges and concerns about excessively depleting American arsenals.
When asked about these reports, the National Security Council spokesperson did not provide a direct answer but referred to a recent statement by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, who reiterated that Biden had instructed the administration to fully utilise the funds by the end of his presidency.
Sullivan also announced that by 20 January, the U.S. would send Kyiv hundreds of thousands of artillery rounds and thousands of additional missiles and other equipment to ensure Ukraine is in the strongest possible position before any potential negotiations with Russia.
Trump wants a quick end to the war
If, despite this, the administration does not manage to deliver all the equipment, the use of the remaining funds would be at Donald Trump's discretion, who suggested he would persuade Russia and Ukraine to end the war swiftly.
His chosen special envoy for Russia and Ukraine, Gen. Keith Kellogg, advocated threatening to halt aid to Kyiv to force Ukrainian authorities to negotiate or threatening significantly increased support to achieve a similar outcome with Vladimir Putin.
