Yellen describes House deadlock on $95 billion foreign aid package as beneficial to Putin
‘As the House continues to stall, Russia is gaining ground and Ukraine is being forced to ration ammunition and supplies,’ Ms. Yellen said.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen criticized House Republicans on Thursday for not approving a new round of funding to support Ukrainian forces in their conflict with Russia. She labeled Republican opposition as a “gift” to Russian President Vladimir Putin and other enemies of the United States and its allies.
Speaking before her meeting with German economy minister Robert Habeck in Washington, Ms. Yellen reiterated the Biden administration’s plea for House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to schedule a vote on a $95 billion supplemental aid request, which includes around $61 billion in new Ukraine-related spending, as well as billions to aid Israel’s fight against the Hamas terrorist group and strengthen alliances in the Indo-Pacific region.
“As the House continues to stall, Russia is gaining ground and Ukraine is being forced to ration ammunition and supplies,” Ms. Yellen stated, urging the House to take action and demonstrate unwavering support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.
The $95 billion supplemental spending package was approved with some Republican support in the Senate but has not seen any progress in the House since then.
Ms. Yellen’s characterization of the delay in Ukraine-related funding as a “gift” to Russia echoes similar sentiments expressed by other Biden administration officials.
Impasse
During a White House meeting on Feb. 27, Mr. Johnson faced pressure regarding the Ukraine aid issue from President Biden and other congressional leaders. Despite this, the House speaker maintained that addressing the U.S. border crisis should take precedence and called on the president to take immediate action.
An earlier proposal for the supplemental spending package included border security provisions, but Republicans voiced concerns about the level of security offered, particularly advocating for the reinstatement of the “Remain in Mexico” policy from the Trump era.
Other Proposals to Fund Ukraine
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick has presented a scaled-down counteroffer to the $95 billion spending supplemental, which includes aid for Ukraine, Israeli defense systems, Indo-Pacific partnerships, and U.S. military operations in the Red Sea.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul is also working on an alternate Ukraine aid proposal to be shaped once a government funding deal is reached.
Additionally, Ms. Yellen supports a plan to use frozen Russian central bank assets to help finance Ukraine in the future.
Reuters contributed to this article.
