US Congress immigration talks collapse, jeopardizing aid to Ukraine
US Congressional immigration talks fail (Getty Images)
The US Democratic and Republican parties have failed in negotiations on US border security. This threatens to block a new aid package for Ukraine, according to NBC News.
On December 1, bipartisan talks on border policy reportedly stalled due to deep divisions between lawmakers.
Republicans vowed to cancel the aid package to Ukraine unless Democrats agreed to tighten US asylum and parole laws in immigration procedures.
One of the Democratic aides said that his political force is supposedly ready to compromise on the border, but the Republicans insist on "extreme policies."
House Speaker Mike Johnson also criticized the White House's position, and accused US President Joe Biden of ignoring Republican "concerns."
"The Biden Administration has failed to substantively address any of my conference’s legitimate concerns about the lack of a clear strategy in Ukraine, a path to resolving the conflict, or a plan for adequately ensuring accountability for aid provided by American taxpayers. Meanwhile, the Administration is continually ignoring the catastrophe at our own border. House Republicans have resolved that any national security supplemental package must begin with our own border," Johnson says.
US assistance to Ukraine
On October 1, the U.S. Congress passed a temporary budget bill. It did not include any new funding for assistance to Ukraine, as it was decided to consider this initiative separately.
After that, U.S. President Joe Biden proposed that Congress allocate $106 billion. Most of these funds ($60 billion) are to be used to help Ukraine. Funding for Israel, the Indo-Pacific region, and border security is also envisioned.
According to media reports, the president's initiative was put to a vote in the upper house of Congress on December 4.
The White House has stated that the United States will not be able to provide Ukraine with new weapons if Congress does not provide funding.
