President Biden has pledged a mere $200 million to Ukraine.
(Baonghean.vn) - US President Joe Biden has pledged an additional $200 million in emergency military aid to Ukraine. He made this commitment during a meeting in the Oval Office with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on December 12.
The meeting took place after a bill aimed at providing $60 billion in aid to Kyiv was blocked by the US Senate last week, due to Republicans demanding stricter immigration controls at the southern US border in exchange for approving aid to Ukraine.
Speaking to reporters after Tuesday's meeting, President Biden stressed that Congress should "pass additional funding for Ukraine" before the recess, while emphasizing that failing to do so would be "the biggest Christmas present" for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Biden said, "The decisions we make now will shape the future for decades to come, especially in Europe."
The latest $200 million in aid announced by Biden will come from the Presidential Dispatch Authority (PDA), which allows the Biden administration to move weapons from U.S. stockpiles without congressional approval in case of emergency.
The Associated Press, citing U.S. officials, reported that the package will include ammunition for the High Mobility Artillery Missile System (HIMARS), high-speed anti-radiation missiles, anti-armor systems, artillery shells, missiles, demolition rounds, 4 million small arms rounds, generators, and other equipment and spare parts.
Earlier that day, President Zelensky met with U.S. lawmakers on Capitol Hill to lobby for more aid amid the ongoing conflict with Russia. The Ukrainian leader also met with House Speaker Mike Johnson as well as several other senators.
Posting on X, President Zelensky said he had a “friendly and frank conversation” with the Senate leaders.
However, Republican leader Mitch McConnell told reporters on Tuesday that Congress was “almost impossible” to pass an additional funding package, including the stalled $60 billion package for Kyiv, before Christmas, and that it would have to move toward a larger package that includes changes to border security policy.