According to the White House on the 4th (local time), President Biden said, “I’m really worried,” and added, “We plan to make an important speech soon on why it is important for the United States and our allies to keep our promises.” “We will argue that Ukraine’s victory is entirely in line with the interests of the United States,” he said. “Regardless of the left and right, diplomats are confident that Ukraine’s support is a valuable activity to strengthen support for the United States around the world.”
The U.S. Congress passed an extraordinary budget just before the start of fiscal year 2024 on the 30th to avoid a federal shutdown, but unlike the draft, the Ukraine aid budget was withheld. The move is aimed at appeasing Republican hard-liners who demand a reduction in Ukraine aid to Ukraine. As House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who led the passage of the temporary budget the previous day, was dismissed, the budget for Ukraine, which totaled $24 billion (about 32 trillion won), as well as the schedule for handling the rest of the main budget, fell into a mystery. The previously secured budget for Ukraine is expected to run out in about two months.
Asked how long he could support Ukraine without setting up a new budget, President Biden said, “There are other ways to raise funds. But I won’t talk about that now,” he replied. It will not be considered immediately, but if the main budget is not passed by the 17th of next month, when the temporary budget expires, it can be interpreted as meaning that it can consider ways to support Ukraine by bypassing the parliament. Citing a Pentagon official, CNN cited the possibility of President Biden exercising his “presidential use authority” (PDA) to provide U.S. military inventory weapons to Ukraine.
Asked if he was concerned about the U.S. suspension of U.S. aid, Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oknasa Markarova said, “Of course. We are also concerned about the delay,” adding, “We are 100 percent dependent on our friends and allies.”
EJ SONG
US ASIA JOURNAL
