Senate delays recess to finalize negotiations on Biden's request

"The expectation after this caucus meeting is we're going to come back next week and try to finish this thing … and hopefully have something to vote on," Democratic Senator Cory Booker said.

As Politico notes, the Senate was set to go on recess today, December 14. However, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer called a caucus meeting and announced that negotiations on the border—an issue hindering the allocation of over $60 billion in new funding to Ukraine—are progressing quickly enough to keep the upper chamber of Congress working.

"Republicans say action on the border is urgent. If they’re serious about getting something done, they should not be so eager to go home. There is a lot of work left to do," Schumer wrote on his X account.

He reminded members of the Republican Party that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin wants the U.S. to abandon Ukraine and believes he can achieve this, in part by using former President Donald Trump.

"We have to act," he concluded.

Background

In early October, President Joe Biden requested over $100 billion from Congress for national security needs. This funding includes over $60 billion in new assistance for Ukraine.

Republicans refused to support the initiative. They insisted that the White House include their proposals on border security in the request.

Republicans and Democrats started negotiations to reach a compromise on this issue. However, today, December 14, Congress was scheduled to go on recess, so the dialogue may continue only next year.

For more details on why the U.S. can't agree on assistance to Ukraine, check out the material by RBC-Ukraine.