Senate Republicans ready to kill Ukraine aid deal
Republicans in the U.S. Senate are prepared to kill the recently released border deal that includes $60 billion in security assistance for Ukraine, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell announced on Feb. 6.
"We have no real chance here to make a law," McConnell said.
Senators on Feb. 4 revealed the details of an agreement on U.S. border policy and foreign aid following months of closed-door negotiations. U.S. aid to Ukraine has been stalled since fall 2023 as Republican legislators demand concessions on border security, or oppose funding Ukraine's defense outright.
The Senate deal, led by Republican James Lankford, allocates $60 billion in security assistance to Ukraine. It also includes aid to Israel, and stringent restrictions on immigrants and asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border.
The bill is scheduled for a Senate vote on Feb. 7. According to McConnell and other senators, the law has no chance of garnering the 60 votes needed to block a Senate filibuster and advance.
"We had a very robust discussion about whether or not this product could ever become law. And it’s been made pretty clear to us by the Speaker that it will not become law," McConnell told reporters.
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a hard-line Republican and supporter of former President Donald Trump, has said any agreement on the border would be "dead on arrival."
Trump, the likely Republican nominee in the 2024 presidential elections, came out against the Senate deal even before the details of the agreement were released.
"I would expect that the motion to proceed to the bill will fail," said Senate Minority Whip John Thune, referring to the Feb. 7 vote.
Democrats involved in the Senate negotiations affirmed that the motion would not advance.
"As it turns out, Republicans don’t want to fix the problem," said Sen. Chris Murphy, the lead Democratic negotiator.
The prolonged partisan conflict in Congress means that crucial funds have stopped flowing to Ukrainian troops.
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Jan. 30 that Europe must be prepared to support Ukraine's defense even if U.S. aid continues to falter.
"We must be ready to act to defend and support Ukraine whatever it takes and whatever America decides," Macron said.
