White House 'not in a position' to guarantee future military aid to Ukaine
Photo: White House National Security Council Coordinator John Kirby (Getty Images)
The United States is able to provide assistance to Ukraine within a "few more weeks", but it cannot guarantee future deliveries, says John Kirby, the coordinator of the National Security Council at the White House, at a briefing.
"Ukrainian leaders were here in town yesterday over the Pentagon for a defense industrial conference. We're trying to make sure that we get in place mechanisms so that they have a healthy defense-industrial base and long-term security assistance built into their own self-defense," Kirby said.
He commented that the White House is "deeply concerned" that there are only "a few more weeks" left for the United States to provide security assistance to Ukraine.
"We know there is strong bipartisan support there (in Congress). It's just that there are a small number of Republicans that want to hold that 'a hostage' for some pretty extreme border policies that the president is not willing to talk about. That's it - he did say we're willing to negotiate in good faith. He does believe that there should be immigration policy changes as well as resource changes, and he's willing to have that conversation," Kirby added.
When asked about guarantees for the continuation of military supplies to Ukraine, he replied that the White House is "not in a position to make that promise to Ukraine" because it is Congress to decide.
What preceded
Recall that on October 1, the U.S. Congress passed a temporary budget bill. It did not include new funding for assistance to Ukraine, as this initiative was decided to be considered separately. Following this, U.S. President Joe Biden proposed allocating $106 billion to Congress. The majority of these funds ($60 billion) were intended for assistance to Ukraine. The package also included aid for Israel.
After lengthy debates in the U.S., a new temporary budget for the government was approved without assistance to Ukraine and Israel. Biden signed the law, which helped avoid a government shutdown.
It is also known that there are disputes in the U.S. Congress regarding the strengthening of the border with Mexico. Republicans have made a demand, threatening not to support funding for Ukraine if immigration legislation is not passed.
U.S. President Joe Biden referred to the possibility of ending military aid to Ukraine as "just absolutely crazy."
