US senators’ delegation arrives in Ukraine
23 February 2024 19:53
A delegation of US senators has arrived in Ukraine. This was announced by US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink.
The delegation consists of Chuck Schumer, Richard Blumenthal, Jack Reed, Michael Bennet and Maggie Hassan.
“I look forward to discussing how important U.S. assistance is to Ukraine’s fight for freedom and independence,” Brink wrote,
– Brink wrote.
The New York Times reported that the leader of the Democratic majority in the Senate is travelling to Ukraine to put pressure on Republicans to provide aid. With his visit, Chuck Schumer wants to encourage the Republican-dominated House of Representatives to stop resisting the allocation of additional aid to Ukraine.
This is Schumer’s first official trip to Ukraine.
Schumer plans to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his newly appointed military chief, Oleksandr Syrskyy. He said he hopes to show how Congress’s delay in providing additional aid has hurt Ukraine’s efforts on the battlefield and urge House Republicans to take action before it is too late.
On 13 February, the US Senate passed a bill unblocking aid to Ukraine . The document was supported by 70 senators out of 60 required.
The bill provides for assistance to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan totalling $95.34 billion. $61 billion is earmarked for Ukraine, $14 billion for Israel, $4.83 billion for Taiwan and other US partners in the Indo-Pacific region.
The bill now needs to be supported by the US House of Representatives, where Republicans are also refusing to vote for aid to Ukraine.
Delay in funding assistance to Ukraine
Since autumn 2023, the US Congress has been unable to agree on a bill on military aid to Ukraine. President Joe Biden has proposed a national security bill worth more than $100 billion, including $61 billion to help Kyiv.
The document was not approved by Republicans, who want to include in the bill tighter border and migration measures on the US-Mexico border.
US President Joe Biden said he would not support the bill on aid to Israel initiated by Republicans in the House of Representatives without taking into account Ukraine’s needs.
Read also:
The US Senate unveiled a new draft law on aid to Ukraine
