Home Speaker Mike Johnson mentioned he has no plans to grant the request following President-elect Donald Trump’s latest election victory.
Home Speaker Mike Johnson, on Dec. 4, dismissed the potential for extra Ukraine support being tied to an anticipated congressional stopgap spending invoice, amid reviews that the White Home is in search of to greenlight the funding by the top of the 12 months.
It comes after reviews emerged final month that President Joe Biden has urged Congress to move the additional funding and replenish weapons to Kyiv to strengthen its place within the Russia–Ukraine battle earlier than he leaves workplace.
“I’m not planning to do this,” Johnson, a Republican, mentioned when requested about extra Ukraine-related support being tied to a seamless decision to fund the federal government.
The Home Speaker went on to state that President-elect Donald Trump’s latest election victory has modified the dynamic of the Russia-Ukraine warfare.
“There are developments by the hour in Ukraine,” Johnson mentioned. “I feel as we predicted, and as I mentioned to all of you weeks earlier than the election, if Donald Trump is elected, it is going to change the dynamic of the Russian warfare on Ukraine, and we’re seeing that occur.”
Any extra help for Kyiv would must be determined by the brand new U.S. chief when he assumes workplace in January, he mentioned.
“So it’s not the place of Joe Biden to make that call,” he continued. “Now, we have now a newly elected president and we’re going to attend and take the brand new commander-in-chief’s course on all of that so I don’t count on any Ukraine funding to return up now.”
The White Home has not publicly commented on the reported funding request.
Biden would “make the case to the Congress and to the incoming administration that the USA mustn’t stroll away from Ukraine, that strolling away from Ukraine means extra instability in Europe,” Sullivan mentioned on the time.
The nationwide safety adviser added that Biden would additionally push for “ongoing sources” for Ukraine past the top of his time period, as a result of the “menace to Ukraine will stay it doesn’t matter what precisely occurs on the battlefield or on the negotiating desk, and the USA mustn’t stroll away from its dedication” to the embattled nation.
The Epoch Occasions has contacted the White Home for remark.
U.S. President Joe Biden shakes palms with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky whereas welcoming him to the Oval Workplace on the White Home in Washington on Sept. 21, 2023. Drew Angerer/Getty Pictures
The package deal consists of ammunition for Excessive Mobility Artillery Rocket Programs (HIMARS), Stinger missiles, artillery shells, drones, landmines, and different navy gear, in accordance with a Dec. 2 assertion.
Biden is “in search of to place Ukraine within the strongest doable place, and we are going to proceed to execute upon this technique in help of Ukraine and its struggle for freedom,” Sullivan mentioned.
Aldgra Fredly contributed to this report.