House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson addressed Republican senators at their annual retreat on March 13, where he floated the idea that the long-obstructed Ukraine aid package could be made into a loan or lend-lease program for the benefit of U.S. taxpayers, the Hill reported on March 14.
"If this sort of discussion will delay the process of the provision of financial assistance, then let's put the discussion aside and take whatever is given," Justice Minister Denys Maliuska said.
U.S. House of Representatives Democrats began collecting signatures on March 12 to bypass House Speaker Mike Johnson and force a vote on a Ukraine aid bill via a discharge petition, Reuters reported.
This is the first package since last December, as U.S. funds for Kyiv have been blocked by disputes in Congress.
The U.S. may announce later on March 12 a military aid package for Ukraine worth as much as $400 million, Reuters reported, citing two unnamed American officials.
Echoing previous comments by the former president about his plans to negotiate peace in Ukraine within 24 hours, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that former U.S. President Donald Trump would end the supply of weapons from the U.S., a move that he said would mark the end of the war.
Polish President Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Donald Tusk will visit the United States on March 12, the 25th anniversary of Poland's NATO accession, to advocate for continued U.S. military aid to Ukraine.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump praised Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban as a "fantastic leader" while hosting him at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida on March 8.
House Republicans are working on their own version of an aid bill to Ukraine to speed up the delivery of assistance to the country, with one version including treating nonmilitary aid to Ukraine as a loan, NBC reported on March 9.
Both chambers of the U.S. Congress approved a short-term stopgap spending bill to avoid a partial government shutdown through the fall, sending it for signature to President Joe Biden.
"As the House continues to stall, Russia is gaining ground and Ukraine is being forced to ration ammunition and supplies," U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on March 7.
Czech President Petr Pavel said on March 7 that after Norway had joined the Czech-led allied initiative on purchasing 800,000 artillery shells for Ukraine, the required funds were collected, Czech outlet CT24 reported.
Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick said he keeps working with House Speaker Mike Johnson's office to hold a vote through regular channels but will start collecting signatures to bypass the speaker if he does not comply.
As Ukraine prepares counteroffensive actions in 2024, continued delays in Western security assistance could postpone the efforts to regain a theater-wide initiative against Russia, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) assessed in their daily report on March 6.
Drawing on the Pentagon reserves would free up about $200 million in immediate military aid to Ukraine.
Victoria Nuland, the third-ranking American diplomat known for her strong backing of Ukraine, will resign from her position as under secretary of state for political affairs in the upcoming weeks, the U.S. State Department announced on March 5.
"There’s not going to be U.S. troops on the ground fighting inside Ukraine," National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said on March 5.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is taking advantage of delays in U.S. aid to Ukraine to further Russian military efforts, U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said at a press conference on March 4.
Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will discuss bilateral security cooperation and military support for Ukraine.
The House proposal would reportedly allocate $66 billion to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, but would not include humanitarian aid and would impose severe restrictions on asylum seekers.
Any plan to seize or monetize frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine can not be considered a substitute for emergency Ukraine aid that has been stalled in Congress, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in an interview, as reported by Bloomberg on March 1.
It is critical for Ukraine to receive additional U.S. funding not only to defend itself but also to take back Russian-occupied territories, Pentagon spokesperson General Pat Ryder said on Feb. 29.
Both chambers of the U.S. Congress approved a short-term stopgap spending bill to avoid a partial government shutdown, sending it for signature to President Joe Biden, Reuters reported on Feb. 29.
U.S. President Joe Biden is scheduled to meet with Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni at the White House on March 1, amid challenges faced by the Democratic administration in garnering support from House Republicans for legislation aimed at providing assistance to Ukraine.
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson told the Voice of America (VoA) on Feb. 29 that his chamber would consider $60 billion in aid for Ukraine "as soon as the government is funded."
U.S. congressional leaders announced on Feb. 28 a tentative agreement to avert a government shutdown, days before a looming deadline that threatened to disrupt federal operations.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's impending departure from his leadership role in November signals a significant shift in Republican support for Ukraine. McConnell has played a pivotal role in securing military assistance and funding for Kyiv, Politico reports.
The Pentagon is considering tapping into the remaining funds in the presidential drawdown authority (PDA), even though it remains uncertain whether Congress approves funding to replenish these funds, CNN reported on Feb. 28, citing U.S. defense officials.
The U.S. will not send American troops to Ukraine, U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said at a press conference on Feb. 27.
"I think the consequence of inaction every day in Ukraine is dire. I’ve been speaking to some of our G7 partners, and they’re very concerned," U.S. President Joe Biden said.
U.S. military officials told the VoA that if nothing changes, the U.S. Army in Europe and Africa may run out of resources "for everything," including the support for Ukraine and training with NATO partners, by summer.
Sikorski urged the United States to provide Ukraine with desperately needed military aid in a speech delivered at the Atlantic Council in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 26. .
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