NEW YORK, US
United States President, Joe Biden on Thursday said there was "no alternative" for Congress but to back giving fresh military aid to Ukraine in its fight against invading Russian forces.
In Congress, Republican and
Democratic leaders are entrenched in a spending battle that could spark a US
government shutdown, with a $24 billion (€22.5 billion) aid package for Ukraine
at risk.
"I'm counting on the good
judgment of the United States Congress. There's no alternative," Biden
said when asked by a reporter whether Congress would pass the funding.
Biden commented as he
received Ukrainian
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House and spoke of the
long-term commitment to Ukraine's security.
Biden hailed "the brave
people of Ukraine" and said they had been an inspiration to the rest of
the world adding: "The American people are determined to see to it that we
do all we can to ensure the world stands with you."
Biden said he had approved a
fresh tranche of security aid, which the Pentagon later valued at $325 million,
and that the first US M1 Abrams tanks would arrive in Ukraine "next
week."
Zelenskyy was seated with
Biden beneath portraits of former US presidents George Washington and Abraham
Lincoln, and thanked Biden for the support.
"We greatly appreciate
the assistance provided by the United States to combat Russian terror, really
terror," Zelenskyy told Biden.
"I started my day in the US Congress to thank his members and the people of America for that big, huge support. I felt trust between us, and it allowed us to have a frank and constructive dialogue, Mr. President."
The latest US round of help
for Ukraine includes
air defense missiles, ammunition for HIMARS precision rocket launchers,
anti-tank weapons, and artillery rounds.
However, Zelenskyy's second
visit to Washington since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in
February 2022 came with the world focused on whether support for Ukraine from
its allies might be ebbing away.
A hard-right wing of the
Republican Party, led by former President Donald Trump, is increasingly
opposed to spending more money to help Ukraine in its war effort.
Kyiv also encountered a
setback when Poland said it would halt making new weapons pledges to its ally
amid a trade
dispute, although Warsaw has denied the two issues are linked.
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