Biden promises Zelensky the immediate payment of 200 million to Ukraine after failing to unlock new aid

The president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, has ended his international tour in search of financing at the most important stop for the future of his country: the White House. The president has met with President Joe Biden, who has announced the disbursement of another 200 million dollars (more than 185 million euros) in military aid. Throughout the day on Tuesday, Zelensky had tried to convince Republican congressmen and senators of the need to provide more funds to defend themselves against Russia.. An attempt that has been in vain.

Zelensky's trip occurs in the midst of an internal debate in the United States and with funds about to run out. In fact, these $200 million are part of the money that had already been approved by Congress. The Ukrainian president is aware that economic support for the war in Ukraine is at one of its lowest moments. Especially within the Republican side, where senators and congressmen are beginning to doubt the need to continue sending money.

On December 6, Republican senators blocked the approval of a new budget project of about 105,000 million dollars, which included an allocation of 61,000 million for kyiv and about 14,000 for Israel.. The Republican caucus demands (in exchange for approving this measure) restricting US immigration laws, particularly the asylum system, and eliminating a series of humanitarian permits for migrants.. During the meeting between both presidents, Biden sent a message to the Republicans to approve the new budget for Ukraine before going on vacation.. Otherwise, he said, they would be giving “the best Christmas gift” to Putin.

Zelensky participated this Tuesday in a closed-door meeting with the Democratic majority leader, Chuck Schumer, and the Republican minority leader, Mitch McConnell.. Although the Ukrainian president did not make any statements after the meeting, Schumer assured that it had been a “very intense meeting” and that “Zelensky made it very clear that he needs help to win this war.”. According to The New York Times, in another private meeting this Tuesday at the Capitol, several Republican senators told Zelensky that securing the United States border with Mexico is key to unblocking aid.

The Ukrainian president has also met with the president of the House of Representatives, Republican Mike Johnson, who has assured that the conditions to help Ukraine are maintained, although he has stressed that any additional spending goes first for “its own security.” national”. “What the Biden Administration appears to be asking for is billions of additional dollars without adequate oversight, without a clear strategy for winning and none of the responses that I believe are owed to the American people,” Johnson said. Zelensky has outlined a list of demands, including long-range weapons and air defenses, something necessary to “be able to win,” he told Biden himself.

“Ukraine has not surrendered and will not surrender. We know what to do and you can count on Ukraine. We also hope to be able to count on you,” Zelensky said this Monday at the United States National Defense University.. Last week, the US and Ukraine signed a memorandum of understanding for the joint production of weapons, which provides for the creation of factories on Ukrainian territory to provide its army with war equipment to continue defending itself.. To advance this measure, the Ukrainian president met this Tuesday with the directors of several American arms companies.

Zelensky has taken advantage of his visit to the United States to meet with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which approved this Monday the second review of the agreement signed with Ukraine, a decision that releases 900 million dollars (more than 830 million euros). This disbursement is part of the Fund's Expanded Service Agreement, a 48-month package agreed upon last March for a total value of $15.6 billion.

This trip by Zelensky was Biden's great hope to get the emergency spending law approved, since he hoped that it would be the Ukrainian president who would convince members of Congress.. Something that, at the moment, does not seem to have happened. Despite the disbursement of these 200 million, the delivery of a new aid package will have to wait.