Biden “spurs” Congress: “It’s madness not to give funds to Ukraine. Putin won’t stop”

John

By John

If American aid to Ukraine does not arrive within the next few days it will be a Christmas present to Vladimir Putin and a threat to the security of the United States and Europe. It is the strongest warning so far Joe Biden in the American Congress, in the aftermath of Volodymyr Zelensky’s withdrawal at a virtual meeting with senators and on the day of the G7 which reaffirmed its united support for Kiev against Moscow. It’s been days since the White House began sounding the latest alarm on the risk of Russia’s victory in an attempt to overcome the stalemate on the new package of over 108 billion dollars requested by the administration. But in the end the commander-in-chief himself wanted to take the field, first defining the Republicans’ obstructionism as “insane”, then, from the Roosevelt Room, recalling that at stake is not only the future of Ukraine but of everything the free world. «I spoke with our G7 allies. They are with us alongside Kiev”, said the American president, insisting that “we cannot allow Putin to win”. At the final video conference of the Japanese presidency, Zelensky – who sent his number two Andriy Yermak to Washington together with Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and the president of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk to speak with the speaker of the House Mike Johnson – explained that the Russian military has “significantly increased pressure” on the front and warned leaders that Russia is counting on the “collapse” of Western unity next year. “Russia believes that America and Europe will show weakness and will not maintain their support for Ukraine at an adequate level,” the Kiev leader said. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, like the other G7 leaders, assured “the Italian government’s continued and convinced support in every area for the Ukrainian authorities”. The point, however, is that without US military power, allies may not be able to continue their support. “The world is watching us,” Biden warned. «If the United States doesn’t support Ukraine, who will? What will happen to NATO? At the G7? If we give up, how will our European friends help Kiev?”, urged the president. Meanwhile, Washington continues to squeeze remaining resources to provide its contribution to Zelensky’s forces and has announced a new military aid package for 175 million dollars. But it will be one of the last, if Congress does not approve the White House’s new funding request. On the one hand, House Republicans continue to exploit aid to Ukraine as a bargaining chip to introduce increasingly harsh anti-immigrant measures. On the other hand, the Democrats refuse to vote for a law that provides for an almost total closure of the southern borders. And Biden himself has declared that he is no longer willing to make concessions on immigration. Time is running out, winter is advancing in Ukraine and the fear is that the United States does not have a plan B. “I am not ready to leave,” the American president said in a statement that some interpreted as a sign that American troops they could be sent to Ukraine to fight against Russia. A catastrophic scenario that to date Biden has always wanted to avoid.