According to NBC News (USA), new US House Speaker Mike Johnson recently said he would agree to support Ukraine, but "under certain conditions".
When asked about increased assistance to Ukraine, Johnson said: "We will have conditions on that so we are discussing it. We want accountability and we want the White House to have clear objectives."
Newly elected US House Speaker Mike Johnson takes the oath of office in Washington, DC, on October 25, 2023. (Photo: AFP)
On October 25, the US House of Representatives elected a new speaker, Mike Johnson, after weeks of deadlock. He represents the Republican majority and is a supporter of former President Donald Trump.
The US House of Representatives cannot pass new legislation, including aid to Ukraine, without its Speaker. That is why the Speaker is also important to Kiev. In addition, the US temporary federal budget will only last until mid-November, so to avoid a government shutdown, the US Congress quickly resolved the issue.
According to the Kyiv Post (Ukraine), Mr. Johnson's election as Speaker of the US House of Representatives will allow the US Congress to return to legislative work but is very worrying news for Ukraine and its counterattack against Russian forces. Mr. Johnson is considered a hardliner and voted "No" on 5 out of 6 proposed packages to support Ukraine.
It remains to be seen how Johnson’s negative stance on Ukraine aid will play out in the House. Texas Rep. Pete Sessions told ABC News that Johnson would likely push for separate aid to Israel, Ukraine and US-Mexico border security, rather than tying them together as President Joe Biden has proposed.
Last week, President Biden said he would ask Congress for $100 billion in funding for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, and border security. Of that, about $60 billion is expected to go to Ukraine.
Johnson's inaugural address on October 25 mentioned pushing for a vote in favor of "America's greatest ally in the Middle East," but asserted that in a world in turmoil, "a strong America is good for the whole world," referring to redirecting foreign aid to domestic spending.
(Source: Tin Tuc Newspaper)
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