Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will address US military officers at the National Defense University as part of a last-minute effort to convince Congress to provide more money for weapons before funding runs out
By means ofTARA COPP Associated Press And LOLITA C. BALDOR Associated Press
December 11, 2023, 10:38 am
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy poses for a photo after his interview with The Associated Press in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will address U.S. military officers at the National Defense University on Monday as part of a last-minute effort to convince Congress to provide more money for weapons before funding runs out.
President Joe Biden has asked Congress for $61.4 billion in war funding for Ukraine as part of a $110 billion package that also includes money for Israel and other national security priorities. But the request is mired in a debate over U.S. immigration policy and border security. The US has already provided Ukraine with $111 billion for its fight against the 2022 Russian invasion.
On Tuesday, Zelenskyy is expected to go to Capitol Hill and meet Biden at the White House.
With Congress in its final week of work before leaving for the holidays, questions remain about whether Republicans will be able to reach an agreement on any future rounds of funding for Ukraine or Israel without concessions from the White House on the issue of additional border security now that illegal border crossings are increasing. But any border package also risks alienating some Democrats.
The stakes are especially high for Ukraine, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during television interviews on Sunday, as “we are running out of funding” for the Ukrainians.
“This is a time to really step up, because if we don't, we know what happens. (Russian President Vladimir) Putin will be able to move forward with impunity and we know he will not stop in Ukraine,” Blinken said.