Mike Turner, chairman of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee, said on Nov. 26 that new aid for Ukraine and Israel "will be difficult to pass before the end of the year," Bloomberg reported.
"I think it would be very difficult to get it done by the end of the year, and the impediment, currently, is the White House policy on the southern border," Turner said, as quoted by Bloomberg.
Turner’s comment comes amid months of infighting in the U.S. Congress over government spending, including military aid for Ukraine.
Republicans in the Senate threatened to block the aid in early November unless there were security resolutions on the southern border of the U.S., leading to a standoff with Democrats.
According to Bloomberg’s report, "Congressional Republicans are seeking to link their approval for the foreign military assistance to stricter border policies," after U.S. President Joe Biden signed a bill extending US government funding into early next year, but leaving the issue of continued aid for Ukraine unaddressed.
On Nov. 20, however, Biden approved a new military aid package for Ukraine worth up to $100 million.
The new package includes Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), 155-mm and 105-mm artillery shells, Javelin and AT-4 anti-tank systems, and over 3 million rounds of small arms ammunition.
Alexander Khrebet
(Updated: )
