On Wednesday afternoon, President Joe Biden called for the House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson and other congressional leaders at the White House to discuss Ukraine funding and immigration policy at the US border.
Republicans in Congress threatened to force a partial shutdown of the government in an attempt to tighten security along the US-Mexico border.
Biden Meets With Congressional Leaders
WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 12: U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during a news conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Indian Treaty Room of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building 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.
Biden hosted the discussion to underscore Ukraine's security needs as it continues to fight Russia's nearly 2-year-old invasion, hoping to pass $110 billion in stalled aid to Ukraine, Israel, and other US allies.
At the beginning of his term, he attempted to reform the US immigration system with proposed legislation that Republicans opposed. Although many Democrats are against such measures, the White House is open to new restrictions on who can seek US asylum and expand deportation authority.
Biden has asked for an additional $61.4 billion in funding to help supply Ukraine with weapons and replenish US stocks. The funds requested for Ukraine are included in a "supplemental" request that provides $14.3 billion for Israel and $13.6 billion for border protection.
Johnson used the opportunity to press Biden for stricter border security measures in one of his few face-to-face meetings with the president. He said that GOP lawmakers demand "substantive policy change" and that the White House's executive actions on immigration had weakened the border.
He told reporters before the meeting that he would press Biden to clarify the nature of the war between Russia and Ukraine and accountability for US funds to support Kyiv.
"But before we even talk about Ukraine, I'm going to tell the president what I'm telling all of you, and we've told the American people: border, border, border. We have to take care of our own house. We have to secure our border before we talk about doing anything else," Johnson said.
A Johnson aide said the speaker agreed that securing the US border was a priority over confronting Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Zelensky Pleads for Additional Ukraine Funding
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged the US to provide additional aid to Kyiv. He visited leaders in Washington, DC, to get $61 billion in aid sidelined by a standoff over US border policy.
Biden appeared with Zelensky at the White House and said that Congress must compromise and prove Putin wrong. However, members of Congress told the BBC that nothing had changed after the discussions.
Zelensky made his third visit to the nation's capital since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Unlike his previous two trips, there was no ceremonial fanfare or red carpet arrival, reflecting the pessimism surrounding efforts to win support for new funds.
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