US President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged Congress to approve Ukraine aid in a joint news conference in Washington on Tuesday.
Zelensky first met with senators and top congressional leaders before heading to the White House for a press conference with Biden.
Biden, Zelensky Urge Congress to Approve Ukraine Aid
WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 12: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) and U.S. President Joe Biden shake hands while meeting in the Oval Office at the White House on December 12, 2023 in Washington, DC. Zelensky is in Washington meeting with Biden and Congressional leaders to make an in-person case for continued military aid as Ukraine runs out of money for their war against Russia. The meetings come days after the U.S. Senate failed to advance Biden's proposed national security package that included emergency aid to Ukraine and Israel.
The two leaders shared their vision for Ukraine's future in a meeting in the Oval Office. They also addressed the role the US should play in helping the Eastern European nation stave off Russia's invasion.
Biden noted Ukraine's freedom was on the line as a massive military aid package was still ongoing in Congress, where Republicans were pushing significant changes to border policy. The White House reported running out of money to support Ukraine by the end of the month. Biden asked Congress for more than $60 billion for Ukraine aid but was turned down.
"[Vladimir] Putin is banking on the United States failing to deliver for Ukraine," Biden said. He added that they must prove Putin wrong, and the United States Congress must act immediately.
He said that Congress would give Putin the greatest Christmas gift they could give him if the aid package fails to pass.
Biden told Zelensky, "Mr. President, I will not walk away from Ukraine and neither will the American people." Zelensky responded and thanked the US for its support and said they would work together to strengthen democracy's arsenal.
However, Congress appeared to be heading into its winter holiday recess without a resolution despite Zelensky's visit on the Biden-backed supplemental aid package of billions of dollars for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, as well as border enforcement.
The funding was tied up in a legislative fight as Republicans demanded significant changes to border security and immigration policy, even though they still have not publicly cleared their demands.
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Senate Lawmakers, House Leaders Speak Out
Zelensky met with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., after addressing senators at the Capitol. The lawmakers warned they would remain far from a deal on security spending.
Johnson asked the White House to clarify the strategy for Ukraine's victory and detail the oversight that would be applied to any money provided to the country. He added the future funding for Ukraine was up to the White House and Senate.
He also said that they needed a transformative change at the border. However, so far, they have gotten neither.
Johnson insisted any security spending should be tied to a hardline immigration bill that passed the House this year.
However, the legislation has zero support from Democrats, setting up a standoff over policy that could be insurmountable. Biden said at a late afternoon press conference that he would work toward bipartisan compromise on changes to border policy.
He noted that compromise was how democracy works but also criticized Republicans in Congress for seizing Ukraine's aid for the changes.
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