U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen made a significant statement on December 6, asserting that the United States would be "responsible for Ukraine's defeat" if Congress fails to pass the proposed $61.4 billion military aid package.
This declaration underscores the critical role of U.S. support in Ukraine's ongoing conflict with Russia.
President Joe Biden echoed Yellen's sentiments, stating that not voting on the funding package would be "just wrong" and emphasizing that failure to support Ukraine is "absolutely crazy" and against U.S. interests.
These comments were made as a high-level Ukrainian delegation visited the U.S. to meet with lawmakers on December 5.
The Ukrainian delegation, comprising key officials including Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, parliament speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk, and Ukraine's ambassador to the U.S., Oksana Markarova, emphasized the dire need for continued U.S. military support.
Andriy Yermak, Head of the Presidential Office, warned at the United States Institute for Peace that Ukraine faced a "great risk of losing the war" without U.S. aid. A scheduled address to the U.S. Senate by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was canceled shortly before its planned occurrence.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer cited an unspecified last-minute issue as the reason for the cancellation. Umerov, in an interview with Fox News, noted the unpredictability of war situations but expressed hope for a future opportunity for Zelensky to address the Senate.
The aid package's passage is complicated by American domestic politics, with some Republicans seeking to include provisions for increased border security.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Mike Johnson have publicly supported aid to Ukraine but also pushed for the incorporation of border security measures into the larger spending package.
This stance has led to accusations from Democrats of conflating domestic issues with crucial international support.
