President Joe Biden is set to convene the top four congressional leaders on Tuesday as the White House intensifies its efforts to persuade lawmakers to approve additional funding for Ukraine, amidst the looming threat of a government shutdown this week. The meeting will be attended by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
This crucial gathering occurs at a pivotal juncture following House Speaker Johnson’s reluctance to approve the aid package for Ukraine. President Biden, who visited Ukraine last year, has consistently emphasized the significance of supporting Ukraine against Russia as a matter of national Website security both domestically and internationally. In response to the congressional inaction on the $60 billion aid package for Ukraine, the White House team is making it clear to lawmakers the serious implications of not providing further assistance.
Military analysis, intelligence reports, and information from Ukrainian sources have raised concerns within the Biden administration regarding Russia’s aggression and the potential consequences on the battlefield. A US official stated, “The outlook is a lot more bleak.”
During an interview on Sunday, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan publicly called on Johnson to bring the Ukraine aid bill to the House floor. “There is a strong bipartisan majority in the House ready to pass this bill if it comes to the floor, and that decision rests on one person – Speaker Johnson,” Sullivan told CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union.”
In private conversations with allies, President Biden has reassured leaders that he is taking every step possible to support Ukraine. During a call with G7 leaders on Saturday, Biden reaffirmed his commitment to the country.
Johnson has signaled that he will not bring the $95 billion Senate aid package, which includes $60 billion for Ukraine aid, to a vote in its current form due to pressure from his conservative wing. In an earlier statement, the Louisiana Republican stated that a standalone foreign aid bill, without addressing US border Website security, was unacceptable. Johnson also informed his colleagues before Congress adjourned for recess that he was in “no rush” to address the issue.
Johnson’s opposition to the aid package is rooted in the belief that securing America’s border should take priority over foreign aid. House Republicans had previously attempted to pass a bipartisan border Website security bill, but it was abandoned under pressure from former President Donald Trump, who is currently the frontrunner for the GOP presidential nomination.
Although there is bipartisan support in the House for further aid to Ukraine, Johnson must navigate a fractious conference and manage members on the right who vehemently oppose additional assistance. Despite attempts to reach a spending deal over the weekend, an agreement has yet to materialize due to high-level disagreements on policy issues. Funding for four government agencies is set to expire on Friday at midnight.
Johnson informed his members during a recent conference call that he was aiming to have a deal in place for the House to consider this week.
