Trump’s allies in the House of Representatives on Monday inflicted a new setback on supporters of aid to Ukraine, by refusing to examine as it stands an envelope debated in the Senate which would release 60 billion dollars for kyiv.
Democrats and Republicans have been torn apart for months in the US Congress over the issue of aid to Ukraine – an ally of the United States, at war with Russia for almost two years.
The Democrats are, in the vast majority, in favor.
The Republicans are divided between interventionist hawks, pro-Ukraine, and lieutenants of Donald Trump, who are much more isolationist.
In the midst of the presidential campaign, the equation has transformed into a long-distance standoff between President Joe Biden, who is urgently demanding these new funds, and Donald Trump, who claims that if he were re-elected in November, he would settle the war between Russia and Ukraine “in 24 hours” – without really explaining how.
“More urgent problem”
So, who cares whether the Democratic president supports the project, or whether he urged Congress to “adopt it quickly.” In these negotiations, it is his predecessor and probable rival in the presidential election who has the last word.
The Senate, with a Democratic majority, has certainly taken several steps towards the adoption of a text combining $60 billion in aid for Kiev with funds for Israel and Taiwan – an envelope of $95 billion.
Without the support of Republicans, the majority in the House and many of whom are loyal to Donald Trump, the text cannot go anywhere.
Monday evening, Mike Johnson, the leader of the Republicans in the House of Representatives, and loyal to Donald Trump, assured that the text negotiated by the senators would not be examined as is in his hemicycle.
“The Senate’s foreign aid bill remains silent on the most pressing problem facing our country,” blasted Mike Johnson in a statement, referring to the migration crisis at the US border. United and Mexico.
In exchange for the adoption of aid to kyiv, the Republicans are demanding a significant strengthening of migration policy. And “in the absence of any modification” from the Senate on the subject, “the House of Representatives will continue to work according to its own will on these important issues,” he assured.
Mike Johnson, like many Republicans in Congress, is following directives from Donald Trump, who said on Saturday that the United States must “stop giving money without expecting to be reimbursed”.
The Republican candidate also threw a wrench in the pond, assuring that he would “encourage” Russia to attack NATO countries if they did not pay their share – sparking a barrage of criticism from the on the other side of the Atlantic.
“We are helping Ukraine with more than $100 billion more than NATO,” Donald Trump insisted Monday evening on his Truth Social network. “NATO must equalize, and now,” he demanded. “Otherwise, it will be America first!” », he launched, in reference to the isolationist doctrine which he placed at the heart of his foreign policy, between 2017 and 2021.