The White House warned Monday that US aid to Ukraine would run out by the end of the year, adding that Russia could win the war if Congress failed to agree on new funding.
President Joe Biden’s budget director, Shalanda Young, called on House Speaker Mike Johnson, arguing that if military aid dries up, it will undermine Kyiv’s military efforts.
“There is no magical pot of funding available to meet this moment. We are out of money – and nearly out of time. Cutting off the flow of US weapons and equipment will kneecap Ukraine on the battlefield, not only putting at risk the gains Ukraine has made, but increasing the likelihood of Russian military victories.”
The United States has already committed $111 billion to Ukraine since the war began in February 2022, including $67 billion in military purchases, Young noted. In October, US President Joe Biden requested a $106 billion national security package from Congress, including military aid to Ukraine and Israel’s war against Hamas, but the funding has been mired in controversy.
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said the vote against aid to Ukraine was actually one to make it easier for Russia to succeed.
It is that simple. It is that stark a choice.
Ukraine is seeking more Western funding as Russia may step up attacks in the winter after Kyiv’s counter-offensive failed in the summer. However, Congress has been paralysed by Republican struggles for months as the war drags on.
US Senate Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer stated that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would speak on Tuesday via secure video link at a secret private briefing for senators. Schumer urged all senators to attend the briefing “so we can hear directly from him exactly what’s at stake in this vote.”
Speaker Johnson, who took office in October following the abrupt ouster of Kevin McCarthy, responded to the White House letter:
“The Biden administration has failed to substantively address any of my conference’s legitimate concerns about the lack of a clear strategy in Ukraine.”
Johnson also echoed the Republicans’ insistence on tying any aid to Ukraine to efforts on the southern border with Mexico as migrant arrivals increase.
Drawing a parallel between the war in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war, Biden sought to link $61 billion for Ukraine to $14 billion for Israel in the aid package he demanded in October, along with border funding.
The front line in Ukraine has remained largely unchanged over the past year, despite a massive offensive by Ukrainian forces this summer using Western military equipment. Western countries also face challenges in securing funding for Ukraine amid war fatigue.
Opinion polls show that a growing number of American voters believe the United States is doing too much to help Kyiv.
