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President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky walk to the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, September 21, 2023, in Washington, DC, USA.
The Biden administration on Monday warned Congress that it’s on the verge of running out of money to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia, imploring lawmakers to act before the end of the year. In a letter to congressional leaders, Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young emphasized that if US aid stopped flowing it would “kneecap Ukraine on the battlefield” and increase the “likelihood of Russian military victories.”
So far, Congress has allocated $111 billion to assist Ukraine. But Young said that by mid-November the Defense Department had used up 97% of the $62.3 billion it had received, while the State Department had already utilized 100% of the $4.7 billion in military assistance it received.
Republican opposition: President Joe Biden has pushed for Congress to pass a $106 billion aid package that includes $61 billion for Ukraine, but he’s faced stiff opposition from Republicans. With the 2024 election on the horizon and polling showing voters growing wary of continued US aid to Ukraine, many GOP lawmakers have taken a strong stance against signing off on more funding for Kyiv.
House Speaker Mike Johnson has tied the issue to immigration, signaling that the GOP won’t green-light additional aid to Ukraine unless Biden agrees to changes in border security policy.
The bottom line: The war in Ukraine is largely deadlocked, but if US support dries up it could spell serious trouble for Kyiv in the days ahead.