WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden Signed into law Wednesday $95 billion war aid measure It includes aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, as well as provisions to sell or ban the social media site TikTok in the United States.
The announcement marks the end of a long and bitter battle with Congressional Republicans over urgently needed aid to Ukraine.
“We rose to this moment. We came together. And we did it,” Biden said at a White House event announcing the signing. “Now we need to act quickly, and we are doing so.”
But the Biden administration’s efforts to help repel Russia’s brutal aggression from Ukraine have suffered significant damage amid funding woes dating back to August, when the Democratic president made his first emergency spending request to aid Ukraine. occured. Even with the influx of new weapons and ammunition, it is unlikely that Ukraine will recover quickly after months of setbacks.
Mr. Biden is military aid The first tranche of about $61 billion allocated to Ukraine will begin within hours, U.S. officials said. It is expected to include air defense capabilities, artillery shells, armored vehicles and other weapons to shore up Ukraine’s demoralized military as Russian President Vladimir Putin racks up victories.
But in the long run, the hope is that Ukraine, which has suffered months of losses in eastern Ukraine and extensive infrastructure damage, will need enough to maintain U.S. political support before the recent inflow of funds is used up. Whether progress can be made remains uncertain.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby said, referring to Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland, where it has experienced setbacks, saying, “It’s not going well for Ukrainians in the Donbass, and it’s not going well for Ukrainians in other parts of the country either.” It’s not an advantage at all.” “Mr. Putin thinks he can play for a while. So we have to try to make up for that time.”
Russia currently appears to be focusing on Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city.Russian military used air force Defense power is insufficient in urban areas;Hitting regional energy infrastructureand are considering shaping the conditions Toward the possibility of a summer offensive to take over the city.
House Speaker Mike Johnson has threatened to oust him if far-right members of his party, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, approve the passage of additional aid. As a result, a vote on additional support measures was postponed for several months. Further support for Ukraine. These threats still exist.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell suggested that if his Republican colleagues withheld funding, it could have a lasting impact on Ukraine’s hopes of winning the war.
“Make no mistake about it: Delays in providing arms to Ukraine to defend itself complicate our prospects for defeating Russian aggression,” McConnell said Tuesday. “Hesitation and hesitation are exacerbating the challenges we face.”
Former President Donald Trump, the likely Republican candidate for president in 2024, complained that European allies were not doing enough for Ukraine. Although he stopped short of endorsing additional funding, his tone has shifted in recent days to acknowledge that Ukraine’s survival is important to the United States.
Indeed, many European leaders have long been nervous that Trump’s second term in office would mean a decline in U.S. support for Ukraine and the NATO military alliance. . Anxiety in Europe increased after President Trump warned in his campaign speech in February NATO Allies He said he would “encourage” Russia “Do whatever they want.” When he returns to the White House, countries that are not meeting their defense spending goals.
It was a key moment in the debate over Ukraine spending. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg immediately condemned President Trump. “American and European soldiers are at risk.” Biden criticized Trump’s comments days later. “Dangerous” and “Un-American” And he accused President Trump of being in the hands of President Putin.
But in reality, White House maneuvering to obtain additional funding for Ukraine began months ago.
Biden used an unusual prime-time speech to make his pitch for additional funding, a day after returning from a whirlwind trip to Tel Aviv in the wake of the stunning Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas militants.
At the time, the House of Representatives was in chaos as Republicans held the majority. Can’t select speaker He replaces U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, who was fired more than two weeks ago. Mr. McCarthy’s assessment of far-right Republicans came after he agreed earlier this year to accept federal spending levels that many on the right disagreed with and wanted to reverse.
With no end in sight to the war, the far-right Republican Party is also firmly opposed to further funds being transferred to Ukraine. Biden in August requested more than $20 billion to keep aid flowing to Ukraine, but that money was stripped from the country. spending bills that must be passed Even when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Washington. personal plea For the continued support of the United States.
By late October, Republicans had finally settled on naming Johnson as the next speaker. Mr. Johnson is a little-known Louisiana Republican whose views on Ukraine have been unclear. In a congratulatory phone call with Johnson, Biden urged swift passage of the Ukraine aid bill, kicking off a months-long largely behind-the-scenes effort to bring the issue to a vote.
In private conversations with Johnson, Biden and White House officials cited Europe’s interests if Ukraine falls to Russia. Five days after Johnson was formally elected speaker, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan briefed him on the administration’s strategy for Ukraine, including a briefing on how to track where aid goes. He assured that liability measures are being taken. This is an effort to address a common complaint from conservatives. .
At clear orders from Biden himself, White House officials also avoided directly attacking Mr. Johnson over the aid holdup. This is something the president has repeatedly instilled in his senior staff.
A senior administration official said Mr. Johnson impressed White House officials throughout the negotiations as direct and honest. Biden was able to find common ground with Republicans and win passage of the bill early in his term. $1 trillion infrastructure deal, A bill to boost the U.S. semiconductor industry, and expanding federal medical services to veterans exposed to toxic fumes from combustion pits. And he knew there was a lot of support from Republicans for more funding to Ukraine.
During a frustrating moment during negotiations, Mr. Biden urged aides to “just keep talking and keep working,” said the official, who requested anonymity to discuss internal discussions.
They did. In daily meetings convened by White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zayents, the president’s aides sit around a large oval table in Zayents’ office to get a better understanding of Ukraine’s dire situation in the absence of aid. We were supposed to brainstorm ways to make our point.
Presidential Counsel Steve Ricchetti and Legislative Affairs Director Schwanza Goff were in regular contact with Johnson. Mr. Goff and Mr. Johnson’s senior staff also spoke frequently as the agreement came into focus.
The White House also tried to accommodate Mr. Johnson and his various requests. For example, at the chair’s request, administration officials briefed Representatives Chip Roy (R-Texas) and Ralph Norman (R.C.). — two conservatives who were Johnson’s persistent opponents.
During that time, Biden officials provided frequent updates to McConnell and key Republican committee leaders, including Reps. Michael McCaul and Mike Turner.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said Mr. Biden’s instincts to resist pressure on Mr. Johnson had been proven correct.
“Joe Biden has a very good sense of when to intervene significantly and when to try to shape things,” Schumer said.
The administration has publicly criticized Russia’s efforts to strengthen ties with U.S. foes China, North Korea, and Iran in order to strengthen Russia’s defense-industrial complex and circumvent U.S. and European sanctions. We have developed an information level downgrading strategy that demonstrates the
For example, U.S. officials released the following intelligence findings this month: Sales soar in China It provides machine tools, microelectronics and other technology to Russia, which in turn uses it to make missiles, tanks, aircraft and other weapons. Earlier, the White House released information that Russia had acquired ballistic missiles. north korea I got an attack drone from. Iran.
The $61 billion will help prioritize Ukraine’s military, but military experts say Kiev will need even more money in a fight that could last several years.
Realistic goals for Ukraine and its allies in the coming months include avoiding the loss of major cities, slowing Russian momentum, and bringing additional weapons to Kiev that could help launch an offensive in 2025. That includes deploying, said Bradley Bowman, director of defense strategy and policy. Analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies in Washington.
“In our microwave culture, we tend to want immediate results,” Bowman says. “And sometimes things are difficult and you don’t get results right away. Ukraine’s success is not guaranteed, but I think Russia’s success is guaranteed if we stop supporting Ukraine. ”
