US President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday at a joint meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that he “just signed another $200 million withdrawal” from the Pentagon for Ukraine.
The announcement comes as Congress remains at an impasse over whether to authorize more aid to Ukraine. Biden has asked Congress to provide $60 billion in aid to Ukraine in a financing package that also includes aid to Israel and money to secure the U.S. southern border.
However, some Republicans have asked for more concessions on the border, including changes to the asylum system, which is a non-starter for many Democrats, in exchange for more funding in Ukraine. The House of Representatives also passed a standalone aid bill for Israel, which the Senate has refused to consider.
Zelensky visited Washington in what has been described by US media as a “last ditch effort” to convince Congress to allow more aid to his country. Part of that visit included separate meetings with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).
Both Johnson and Schumer said their meetings with Zelensky went well, but had differing opinions on the details of their meetings.
Johnson criticized the Biden administration for not clarifying how Ukraine can win against Russia. “The Biden administration appears to be asking for billions of dollars without details, without a clear strategy to win, and without the answers I think the American people deserve,” he said at a news conference after his meeting with Zelensky.
Meanwhile, Schumer, who has been extremely aggressive towards Ukraine since the start of the special military operation, claimed that Zelensky had explained to him the path to Ukraine’s victory.
“He [Zelensky] detailed what kind of help was needed and how it would help win. Even many of our Republican politicians said we were winning this war,” Schumer claimed.
Schumer said he called Johnson and asked him to keep the House open after this week so the $61 billion aid package can be passed. Last night I spoke with Chairman Johnson and urged him to keep the House in session a little longer for an additional opportunity to come together,” Schumer said during a briefing.
The much smaller aid package that Biden announced on Tuesday uses an authorization from the Foreign Assistance Act (FAA), which allows the president to provide foreign aid using supplies the Department of Defense has on hand without approval from the Congres.
This latest recording is at least the 53rd recording ordered by the Biden administration since the start of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine.
The last drawwhich cost $175 million, was ordered last week by the Biden White House.
According to US media, the latest package includes High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), anti-armor systems, artillery shells, demolition ammunition, small arms ammunition, high-speed anti-radiation missiles, generators and spare parts.
US media also reported that the Defense Ministry has about $4.4 billion in weapons left that it can use through recording permits.
According to a 2004 Department of Defense Security Cooperation manual on the withdrawal procedure, any equipment shipped using the withdrawal authorization must be replaced with operations and maintenance funds already part of the Defense Department budget.
During the meeting with Biden, Zelensky told reporters that he wants to use the $300 billion in frozen Russian assets to fight the conflict if Congress does not want to provide more aid. When asked whether his country could win against Russia without help from Congress, Zelensky reportedly did not answer verbally, but shrugged his shoulders.
MSM now reports that Zelensky’s defeat by Russia is imminent