US Senate postpones its Christmas break
US President Biden and the Democrats want to grant Ukraine 61 billion dollars in military aid for the coming year. However, many Republicans reject the support for domestic political reasons. The US senators are therefore staying in Washington.
The US Senate is postponing its winter recess for further negotiations on the continuation of aid to Ukraine. "The Senate will return on Monday," said the Democratic majority leader in the chamber of Congress, Chuck Schumer, on Thursday. This would give those involved in the negotiations time to reach an agreement. Actually, the senators should have agreed on a text by Thursday evening before work was to be interrupted for the holidays.
Democrats and Republicans are currently arguing about further aid for Ukraine. US President Joe Biden asked the US Congress for new aid for Kiev in October. The Democrats support the 61 billion dollar package (55 billion euros), while the opposition Republicans are opposed to it.
Among other things, the Republicans are demanding further concessions from the Biden administration on US immigration policy and securing the border with Mexico. The Republicans can block new aid for Ukraine with their majority in the House of Representatives and their blocking minority in the Senate.
Kremlin relies on easing up
If an agreement is reached in the Senate, it would also have to pass the House of Representatives for final approval. The House of Representatives is already in its winter recess, but in theory MPs could be called back to Washington for a vote if an agreement is reached. However, the Chairman of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, has expressed skepticism about the prospects of an agreement.
Since the start of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, the USA has provided or promised military aid amounting to more than 44 billion dollars. A default by the USA would have serious consequences for Kiev. The western allies of the USA and Ukraine are therefore looking to Washington with concern, while the Kremlin is counting on western aid to diminish.
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Source: www.ntv.de
