As war with Russia enters 3rd year, US aid to Ukraine hangs in the balance

WASHINGTON — Top Biden administration officials spent last weekend in Europe trying to soothe jitters over the prospect of U.S. military aid to Ukraine ending, assuring counterparts from Paris, Berlin and Kyiv as the war enters its third year that Washington will somehow come through.

Just two days later, the Republican Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, who has so far blocked passage of a bill that includes $60 billion in new funding for Ukraine, posted a picture of himself smiling with former Republican President Donald Trump, who has opposed aid for Kyiv.

The contrast underscored the challenges facing the Biden administration if Congress fails to approve more military assistance, which Ukraine desperately needs to hold off Russian invaders.

So far, President Joe Biden’s administration has ruled out discussing a plan B.

Trump, frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination and a long-standing critic of the NATO alliance, has in recent weeks threatened to abandon some European allies if they were to be attacked by Russia.

As Vice President Kamala Harris and other administration officials projected confidence last week at a Western security gathering in Munich, Kyiv was losing territory to Russia. Moscow took control on Sunday of the town of Avdiivka, its biggest gain in the past nine months.

“This happened in large part because Ukraine was running out of weapons due to congressional inaction,” Biden National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Tuesday, warning of worse to come if lawmakers do not act.

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 Johnson sent the House home for a two-week recess without bringing the measure up for a vote.

Since then, Senate Republicans and Democrats have joined those urging passage of the aid.

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