U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said on Wednesday that the U.S. would not shrink one bit from assisting Ukraine militarily right through the short and long term while the talks about extra funding are being delayed in the Republican-controlled Congress.
Virtual Address and Health Setback
“We will continue to dig deep to provide Ukraine with both short-term and long-term support,” said Austin virtually, being silent about the $95.34 billion military aid package for Ukraine and other allies that still has not been accepted by the House Speaker, Reuters reported.
Austin was at home for a virtual from this talk after he had postponed a trip to Brussels for a NATO meeting because he had a bladder issue and was in the hospital to address it.
The money, according to Ukraine’s leadership, is essential as the country fights an invasion that was started almost two years ago by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
While Austin did not address the House of Representatives or the lack of funds, others have.
International Pleas for Congressional Action
On Wednesday, U.S. legislators were urged by British Foreign Secretary David Cameron to support the security aid package.
“I urge members of Congress in the United States who will be looking at this today to vote for the package,” Cameron told reporters during a visit to Bulgaria.
Political Dynamics and Opposition
Biden has been making an effort, which is comprised of support for Israel and other countries as well as aid for Palestinians, for this package for a long time. He has been opposed by Republican hardliners, these most often being those who are in tune with former president Donald Trump, as reported by Reuters.
Trump’s Controversial Remarks on NATO Defense
Aid supporters will be anxious to know what the outlook of Trump will be. On social media, he has complained that the support should have been in the form of a loan, and he has also scared U.S. allies by proclaiming that he will support aggression against some NATO members.
Now, Trump is getting a lot of flak from Biden and top Western diplomats when he stated that the United States will not defend the NATO allies, which are not spending enough on defense from the Russian invasion.