A senior U.S. diplomat visiting Kyiv expressed confidence that Congress would back new aid for Ukraine as senators back in Washington struggled to finalize a bipartisan deal that would release up to $61 billion in aid for the embattled country.
"Bipartisan support for Ukraine remains strong across the country," U.S. Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland told reporters on January 31 after a day of talks with Ukrainian leaders.
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"I have great confidence that that understanding will be reflected in the vote that the Congress makes on this request from President Biden," she said.
Ukraine is dependent on support from its Western allies, especially the United States, to beat back Russia’s invasion, now approaching the two-year mark.
Republicans and Democrats are at odds over immigration funding and reform, which is part of a larger spending package that includes aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.
The two sides have been unable to reconcile their differences since September, impacting the flow of U.S. military aid to Ukraine at a time when Russia is stepping up attacks in the east.
Congress at the end of 2022 approved about $45 billion in financial, humanitarian, and military aid to Ukraine but those funds have now been depleted. Ukraine has been running low on ammunition in the meantime, raising concerns among staunch Ukraine supporters in Congress.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer warned in a morning floor speech that "the survival of Ukraine is on the line." Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said "we need to get help to Israel and to Ukraine quickly."
NATO General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg was in Washington on January 31 to encourage Congress to pass aid. He told the conservative think tank Heritage Foundation that Russian President Vladimir Putin's ambitions don't just end with Ukraine.
He said the Russian president is intent on "reestablishing Russia's sphere of influence and shaping an alternative world order."