They spoke after Republican senators blocked the White House’s request for $106 billion on Wednesday. dollars (97.4 billion euros) joint emergency aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, after the Democrats refused to provide reforms on illegal migration.
“This is a problem, because, on the one hand, it doesn’t seem like there is any doubt on the level of rhetoric about the allocation of support: in the Senate and in general in the House of Representatives, in the Congress, there are the majority of representatives who are in favor of supporting Ukraine, (…) but there are very it is disappointing that this issue – and not only Ukraine’s, but also Israel’s and the overall support package, has become a hostage of internal politics,” Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė told reporters on Thursday.
She said she has no doubt that the support package would be approved if it appeared on the agenda.
“But it’s just not on the agenda. There is a very unpleasant circumstance, but I still think that this is a circumstance – not a decision, but simply a circumstance – and that sooner or later that decision will reach the voters, and then the vote, I believe, will be positive,” said the Prime Minister.
The defense minister said he discussed the issue with Republican senators during a visit to the United States and heard assurances that the support issue would be resolved by mid-December.
According to him, as the Russian war in Ukraine continues, the question of support arises and will arise in all countries.
“Yes, there are many internal problems, but the Ukraine issue and the war in Ukraine and Russia’s actions are destroying the international order, and if it collapses, all this will cost tens of times more than now,” the minister emphasized.
He said that without US support, “Ukraine would simply be in trouble”, but said he was optimistic about the issue and had no doubt that support would be restored.
The package includes about 60 billion. dollars (55.5 billion euros) intended to help Ukraine. About 10 billion is also planned. $9.29 billion in support to Israel in its conflict with the Palestinian militant group Hamas and some aid to Taiwan.
US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has vowed to hold a later vote on Republican-driven border protection measures to get the 60 votes needed to clear the first procedural hurdle.
But Republicans voted against aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, arguing that the U.S. government was failing to act on the nearly 10,000 people arriving from Mexico every day. migrants.
Senate Republicans are linking their support for additional funding to Ukraine on the condition that Mr. Biden’s Democrats approve asylum system reforms and tightened border protection. Democrats already rejected these measures earlier this year.
On Monday, the White House budget chief warned Congress that without a deal on new funds for Ukraine by the end of the year, Kyiv’s forces would be undermined on the battlefield.
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2024-07-27 07:40:58
