American President Joe Biden called on congressional leaders to continue US aid to Ukraine, while today is expected to see the launch of a “military alliance” in Paris aimed at bolstering Kyiv’s military capabilities in its war against Russia.
During a meeting at the White House on Wednesday, Biden urged the continuation of American assistance to Ukraine, which is currently stalled due to a lack of agreement between Republicans and Democrats on additional funding.
The White House stated in a release after the meeting that the American President “was clear about the inability of Congress to act, which endangers the security of the United States, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), and the rest of the free world.”
The same source mentioned that Biden (81 years old) – who has so far stayed away from legislative negotiations – has indicated that there is “encouraging progress” in the ongoing discussions within the Democrat-majority Senate.
In the House of Representatives – where Republicans hold the majority – conservative speaker Mike Johnson said the meeting was “productive,” and he acknowledged that he “understands the importance” of the assistance provided to Ukraine. However, he emphasized that “the top priority is the border” with Mexico, where thousands of migrants arrive daily.
The US President is seeking $61 billion to continue military aids to Ukraine, but House Republicans, in return, are demanding a clear tightening of his immigration policy.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov canceled his visit to France for “security reasons” (Anadolu Agency)
Cancellation of Visit
In other developments, the French Ministry of the Armed Forces announced on Wednesday evening that the Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov had canceled a scheduled visit to France on Thursday for “security reasons.”
Despite the cancellation of the visit, the Ukrainian minister will participate via video on Thursday morning with his French counterpart Sébastien Lecornu in the launch of a “military alliance” in Paris aimed at enhancing Kyiv’s military capacity against Russia.
This alliance, led by France and the United States, is one of the components of the Contact Group for the Defense of Ukraine, known as “Rammstein Group,” which includes more than 50 countries that support Kyiv.
The French Ministry pointed out that this component, involving 23 countries, “aims to unite efforts to help Ukraine in the short and long term to obtain artillery power that adapts to the needs of the counter-offensive and its future army.”
