MOSCOW: Russia expressed its desire for U.S. lawmakers to persist in preventing the White House from securing emergency aid for Ukraine, as a dispute over funding related to border security divides Republicans and Democrats.
Republican senators obstructed a $110 billion emergency aid package designated primarily for Ukraine and Israel. Their opposition stemmed from the package’s exclusion of immigration reforms that conservatives had insisted be included.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov expressed hope that rational voices among American congress members would prevail in the future.
Peskov criticized the White House for allegedly trying to influence American senators and using citizens’ funds for the conflict in Ukraine.
The Kremlin has emphasized that halting U.S. arms supplies to Ukraine is a crucial condition for initiating peace talks. President Vladimir Putin has asserted that Ukraine’s military would falter within a week without Western support.
President Biden has spearheaded global support for Kyiv, but Republican support in Congress has dwindled.
The administration has cautioned that without swift action from lawmakers, funds for further aid to Ukraine will run dry within weeks.
Earlier, an emergency spending bill aimed at allocating billions of dollars in new security assistance for Ukraine and Israel faced a setback in the U.S. Senate. The impasse occurred as Republicans insisted on more stringent measures to address immigration concerns along the U.S.-Mexico border.
The vote resulted in 49 senators in favor and 51 against, falling short of the required 60 votes needed in the 100-member Senate to initiate debate.
This development poses a challenge to President Joe Biden’s efforts to deliver new aid before the conclusion of 2023, as the proposed $110 billion package failed to gain sufficient support.
The vote strictly followed party lines, with all Senate Republicans opposing the bill, along with Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent who generally aligns with Democrats but had reservations regarding funding for Israel’s “current inhumane military strategy” against Palestinians.
The proposed legislation sought to allocate approximately $50 billion in new security assistance for Ukraine, alongside funds for humanitarian and economic aid to the government in Kyiv.
