Ukraine Funding Unlikely Before Christmas, Says McConnell

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said it’s “practically impossible” that more financial assistance to Ukraine will be approved before Christmas, The Hill reported Tuesday.

McConnell also appeared to deflect the blame to House Speaker Mike Johnson, saying Johnson has been telling people that members of the lower chamber are leaving town for the holidays at the end of this week.

“All I have said is [it’s] practically impossible, even though we reach an agreement, to craft it, get it through the Senate, get it through the House before Christmas,” McConnell told reporters. “Doesn’t mean it’s not important.”

McConnell also stressed the need for the White House to stop deferring to Senate Democrats on negotiations and to be involved to ensure that any potential legislation can be signed.

“I’ve talked to [President Joe Biden] about it. I’ve talked to [White House chief of staff Jeff] Zients about it. [There’s] some indication last night that maybe they’re going to finally engage,” McConnell said.

“There won’t be a deal until Joe Biden and Republicans reach an agreement. That hasn’t happened yet. I hope that it will because I think this whole package is important to our country, and I’d like to see it pass.”

The package to which McConnell was referring includes about $106 billion in funding to Ukraine, Israel, United States allies in the Indo-Pacific, and humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

Congressional Republicans have demanded that the package also include some concessions, including more aid for border security and the adjustment of controversial border policies.

“That supplemental the Biden administration proposed, that is a joke,” Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., recently said, according to ABC News.

“It is not about throwing more money at the border. We’ve got to slow the flow. It’s about changing policies. They don’t need a lot more money at the border. They’ve got to change the policies to remove the incentives to come across the border.”