U.S. assistance to Ukraine: Biden to hold confidential meeting with Congressional leaders
Photo: John Kirby, National Security Council Coordinator (Getty Images)
President Joe Biden will hold a confidential meeting with congressional leaders to explain the urgent need for further assistance to Ukraine, according to White House National Security Council Coordinator John Kirby.
A White House representative noted that for President Biden and the national security team, this closed-door meeting will be an opportunity to ensure that lawmakers fully understand the urgent need for ongoing assistance to Ukraine.
It's worth noting that according to media reports, the following individuals will be present at this meeting:
- Majority Leader in the Senate Chuck Schumer
- Minority Leader in the Senate Mitch McConnell
- Speaker of the House Mike Johnson
- Minority Leader in the House Hakeem Jeffries.
Assistance to Ukraine from the United States
Several months ago, U.S. President Joe Biden requested over $100 billion from Congress for national security needs. The package includes over $60 billion in new funding to aid Ukraine.
Republicans in Congress refused to support such an initiative. They demand that more stringent measures to secure the border with Mexico be included in the package.
As a result, for over a month, Congress has been trying to reach an agreement on these measures to approve the package. On January 12, it became known that assistance to Ukraine from the United States has been suspended until Congress approves new funding.
On January 16, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine will receive assistance from Europe and the United States, with decisions expected to be made within weeks.
