Biden reacts sharply to vote failure on aid for Ukraine and names threats

The American president called the Senate vote "political blackmail." Biden accused the Republicans of playing political games.

"Republicans in Congress are threatening to cut off support for Ukraine unless they can force through their extreme partisan border policies. It's political blackmail, pure and simple. The stakes are too high and the consequences are too significant for political brinksmanship," Biden wrote.

What the Senate vote means for Ukraine

Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova, explained that the Senate's decision does not mean a vote against Ukraine. According to her, senators assured the Ukrainian side that domestic political events in the U.S. Congress would not affect the continuation of support for our country, which will be extended through bipartisan support.

The ambassador explained that the failed Senate vote on the international aid package does not preclude the possibility of reintroducing the bill for a vote in the near future.

"So we continue active work with our colleagues, and based on very productive meetings these days, we hope that before Christmas, Congress will support a coordinated package that includes defense, budgetary, humanitarian, and energy assistance to Ukraine for 2024," added Markarova.

What preceded this

On December 6, the President of the United States, Joe Biden, addressed Congress. He called on them to approve a request that includes over $60 billion to finance Ukraine's aid.

Republican senators in the upper house of the U.S. Congress refused to support the initiative. They demand the White House include more radical proposals for securing the US-Mexico border.

As expected, the bill did not pass the procedural vote in the U.S. Senate.

More details on why the U.S. cannot agree on financing aid to Ukraine - in RBC-Ukraine's material.