WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥 President Joe Biden and Ukraine's leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, will meet at the White House on Tuesday as the U.S. administration steps up the pressure on Congress to provide billions more in aid to Kyiv in its war with Russia.
The visit is intended 鈥渢o underscore the United States鈥 unshakeable commitment to supporting the people of Ukraine as they defend themselves against Russia鈥檚 brutal invasion,鈥 the White House said in a statement Sunday. 鈥淎s Russia ramps up its missile and drone strikes against Ukraine, the leaders will discuss Ukraine鈥檚 urgent needs and the vital importance of the United States鈥 continued support at this critical moment.鈥
Zelenskyy's office confirmed that he had accepted Biden's invitation. He also has been asked to speak to a meeting of all senators.
Biden has asked Congress for a $110 billion package of wartime funding for Ukraine ($61.4 billion) and Israel, along with other national security priorities. But the request is caught up in a debate over U.S. immigration policy and border security.
to witness on Sunday of Argentina鈥檚 new president, Javier Milei. The Ukrainian leader had been scheduled to address U.S. senators by video last week, but had to cancel the appearance, according to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York.
Congress already has allocated $111 billion to assist Ukraine, and Biden鈥檚 budget director, Shalanda Young, this past week to House and Senate leaders that the U.S. will run out of funding to send weapons and assistance to Ukraine by the end of the year, which would 鈥渒neecap鈥 Ukraine on the battlefield.
鈥淚t鈥檚 time to cut a deal that both sides can agree to,鈥 Young said Sunday.
The stakes are especially high for Ukraine, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during two television interviews Sunday, given that 鈥 鈥 for the Ukrainians. 鈥淭his is a time to really step up because if we don鈥檛, we know what happens. (Russian President Vladimir) Putin will be able to move forward with impunity and we know he won鈥檛 stop in Ukraine.鈥
Earlier, he to Israel of nearly 14,000 rounds of tank ammunition and also called for quick congressional approval of the foreign assistance. Blinken said the needs of justify the rare decision to bypass Congress. 鈥淚srael is in combat right now with Hamas,鈥 he said. 鈥淎nd we want to make sure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself against Hamas."
The tank ammunition and related support constitute only a small portion of military sales to Israel, Blinken said, and that the rest remains subject to congressional review. "It鈥檚 very important that Congress鈥 voice be heard in this,鈥 he said.
The decision to proceed with the sale of more than $106 million for tank shells came as the administration's larger aid package is caught up in a larger immigration debate.
Blinken noted that Biden has said he is willing to make to get the aid package moving. ``It鈥檚 something the president is fully prepared to engage on," Blinken said.
Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said there is bipartisan agreement that something has to be done to address record numbers of migrants crossing into the United States from Mexico.
鈥淲e want to solve that, to secure the border. I just saw the president of the United States say that we鈥檝e got to secure the border. He鈥檚 right. So, any effort that doesn鈥檛 do that will be rejected by Republicans,鈥 Romney said.
Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, said the administration has yet to justify additional aid to Ukraine. 鈥淪o what we鈥檙e saying to the president and really to the entire world is, you need to articulate what the ambition is. What is $61 billion going to accomplish that $100 billion hasn鈥檛?鈥 Vance said.
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said the money would make a difference because Russia is struggling to fund its war effort. 鈥淚t can change the outcome of this war,鈥 Murphy said. 鈥淏ecause at the very same time that we are making a renewed commitment to Ukraine, Russia鈥檚 ability to continue to fight this war is in jeopardy.鈥
Romney said he also supports the aid to Ukraine. 鈥淢y own view is that it鈥檚 very much in America鈥檚 interest to see Ukraine successful and to provide the weapons that Ukraine needs to defend itself. Anything other than that would be a huge dereliction of our responsibility, I believe, to the world of democracy but also to our own national interest,鈥 he said.
Blinken appeared on ABC's 鈥淭his Week鈥 and CNN's 鈥淪tate of the Union.鈥 Romney and Murphy were on NBC's 鈥淢eet the Press.鈥 Vance was on CNN. Young was on CBS' 鈥淔ace the Nation.鈥
