House Democratic minority leader Jeffries urges lawmakers to approve aid to Ukraine by March 22
The leader of the minority of the Democratic Party in the US House of Representatives, Hakeem Jeffries, called on Republicans to vote on the extension of aid to Ukraine by the end of next week.
According to him, time is running out, and the bill must be approved by March 22 before congressmen leave Washington.
"It's reckless to do otherwise," Jeffries said.
He noted that the United States cannot allow Ukraine to be overrun by Russia, because in this case, most likely, the lives of American soldiers will be at stake.
"Unless we were to believe that if Putin wins in Ukraine, he stops there. He did not stop in Georgia, and he did not stop in Crimea," the lawmaker said.
Jeffries' March 22 date directly coincides with the deadline for passage of six remaining government funding bills through the end of the 2024 fiscal year.
On February 14, US President Biden called on Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson to immediately put a bill on aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan to a vote.
On February 26, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Johnson had promised him to do "everything" to continue aid to Ukraine.
On February 29, Congress leaders at a meeting with Biden could not agree on aid to Ukraine.
On March 12, the United States announced $300 million in military aid to Ukraine, including artillery shells and ammunition for HIMARS. The supply of ATACMS has not been officially announced.