Fate of U.S. aid to Ukraine to be decided in next 3 days, Ambassador says
Oksana Markarova, Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States (Photo: Getty Images)
The next three days will show whether there will be a new round of funding for assistance to Ukraine along with an enhancement of migration policy in the U.S. Senate, according to a statement of Ukraine's Ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova.
Diplomat reminded that initially, they wanted to vote separately for new funding for Ukraine in the U.S. But later, assistance to Israel and border protection from migrants were added.
According to Markarova, throughout December, Congress claimed that new funding for Ukraine would be impossible without border security. Now, the main problem remains immigration policy.
However, for Ukraine, it doesn't matter whether funding will be voted together with border security or not. The main thing is to allocate new funds for assistance to our country.
"The Senate decided that it would vote for this together (aid to Ukraine and border protection - Ed.). The next three days will show whether this law will be voted on together. Then it's up to the House. But for any law to become a law, both chambers have to vote on it before the president signs it," Markarova says.
U.S. aid to Ukraine
Last year, U.S. President Joe Biden requested over $100 billion from Congress for national security needs. In particular, over $60 billion in the package was earmarked for new funding for Ukraine.
However, later, disagreements arose between Democratic and Republican members of Congress regarding this initiative. Members of the Republican Party wanted the package to include tougher measures on border protection.
Then, assistance to Ukraine was suspended as it depended on the dispute over U.S. immigration policy.
Recently, there have been reports in the media that the issue of border security with Mexico and the associated financial aid to Ukraine in the U.S. Congress may be divided due to concerns about border policy reform.
