- Title: U.S. senators meet Zelenskiy as Ukraine aid hangs in the balance
- Date: 23rd February 2024
- Summary: LVIV, UKRAINE (FEBRUARY 23, 2024) (REUTERS) US SENATORS WALKING IN (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SENATOR, CHUCK SCHUMER, SAYING: "And and we have come here to tell the Ukrainian people we are with you, the United States is with you. We will not abandon you. We will fight and fight and fight to get this needed aid to you and to your brave soldiers." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS
- Embargoed: 8th March 2024 19:01
- Keywords: Putin Russia Ukraine aid senators visit war
- Location: LVIV, UKRAINE
- City: LVIV, UKRAINE
- Country: Ukraine
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Europe,Military Conflicts
- Reuters ID: LVA002299523022024RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A delegation of U.S. senators met with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Lviv on Friday (February 23) as the aid for Ukraine hangs in the balance.
The Senate last week approved a $95 billion bill providing assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan by an overwhelming 70-30 vote, with 22 Republicans joining most Democrats in voting "aye."
But Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has so far blocked passage of a bill that includes $60 billion in new funding for Ukraine.
Johnson sent the House home for a two-week recess without bringing the measure up for a vote.
The group in Lviv was led by Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer who told Zelenskiy the purpose of their visit.
"The main reasons we've come here is to help them make up their minds. We want to tell them what we have seen. We want to show them. We have heard from so many that if you don't get the aid, you will lose the war. But if you get the aid, you will win the war," Schumer said during the meeting.
Other senators in the delegation were Richard Blumenthal, Michael Bennett, Maggie Hassan and Jack Reed.
Senate Republicans and Democrats have joined those urging passage of the aid bill. Many believe it would pass the House with bipartisan support if Johnson would allow the chamber to vote.
If approved, the funding would bring the total U.S. investment in the conflict to $170 billion, although Congress has not approved any major aid for Ukraine since Republicans took control of the House in January 2023.
Nearly two-thirds of the $60 billion would go to U.S. companies that make military equipment for Ukraine, much of it to replace materiel already sent east.
The House is unlikely to consider security assistance before mid-March.
Republican House members have said they do not want to take up the broad $95 billion national security supplemental as it is, although members of both parties acknowledge it would pass easily if Johnson allowed a vote.
Johnson voted repeatedly against aid for Ukraine before he became House speaker last year.
Johnson has suggested he wants to break the security aid legislation into separate bills for Ukraine and Israel, although two previous House bills providing aid only to Israel have failed.
Changes would further delay aid for Ukraine as any new measure passed by the House must also be approved by the Senate before it can be sent to the White House for Biden's signature.
(Production: Lynne Schoeman, Bernat Parera) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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