On 30 September, US President Joe Biden welcomed the adoption of a bill to prevent a federal government shutdown but called on Congress to approve aid to Ukraine that was left out of the deal.
“Tonight, bipartisan majorities in the House and Senate voted to keep the government open, preventing an unnecessary crisis that would have inflicted needless pain on millions of hardworking Americans,” reads Biden’s statement.
The bill, however, left aid for Ukraine, one of Biden’s priorities, in jeopardy. In the statement, Biden noted that US support cannot be interrupted under any circumstances.
“While the Speaker and the overwhelming majority of Congress have been steadfast in their support for Ukraine, there is no new funding in this agreement to continue that support. We cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted,” Biden said in the statement, adding: “I fully expect the Speaker will keep his commitment to the people of Ukraine and secure passage of the support needed to help Ukraine at this critical moment.”
US lawmakers must now wrangle on a separate bill on $24bn in military assistance to Ukraine that Biden wanted in the budget, with a vote possible early next week, US media reported, according to The Guardian.
Read also:
- Pentagon: Looming US government shutdown could disrupt Ukraine aid (updated)
- UN to send $123 mln in aid to Ukraine
- Seven EU countries order ammo under EU scheme to aid Ukraine
- Norway to allocate $92 mn in humanitarian aid to Ukraine
- Ukraine must implement a list of reforms to receive aid package from US
