Conflicts - Biden warns Congress: Ukraine aid cannot wait
US President Joe Biden has once again urged Congress to approve new aid for Ukraine, which has been attacked by Russia.
"This cannot wait. Congress must approve additional funding for Ukraine before it goes on vacation, it's that simple," Biden said at the White House. He warned that Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin would otherwise go on and on. If Putin attacked NATO states, American troops would suddenly be fighting Russian troops.
New aid for Ukraine was therefore "in our overwhelming national interest and in the international interest of all our friends", the Democrat continued. "Petty, partisan, angry politics cannot stand in the way of our responsibility as a leading nation in the world," he warned.
175 million US dollars announced
At the same time, the US government announced further military aid for Ukraine. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the new package of weapons and equipment would be worth up to 175 million US dollars (around 162 million euros). It comes from the limited remaining funds previously approved by Congress. Among other things, it includes air defense ammunition, artillery ammunition and anti-tank missiles.
Ukraine has been fending off a large-scale Russian invasion since February 2022 and is dependent on foreign support. According to the government, the funds previously approved by the US Congress for Ukraine will be completely used up by the end of the year. The release of new US aid for Ukraine is being blocked by a domestic political dispute between Democrats and Republicans in the US parliament. More and more Republicans are expressing doubts about support for Ukraine or rejecting it altogether. The Republicans also want more money for the protection of the US border.
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Source: www.stern.de
