Speaker Johnson offers loan assistance to Ukraine. Biden administration reacts

The representative of the White House, John Kirby, reacted to the version of the bill on aid to Ukraine proposed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson. He said that the Biden administration prefers the Senate document, Voice of America reports.

"We believe that the bill that was passed in the Senate corresponds very well to our strong desire to continue supporting Ukraine," he said.

Kirby explained that the bill from the US Senate "addresses the defense needs of Ukraine well, as well as the defense needs of Israel and other issues of our national security around the world."

Earlier, Johnson told Republican senators that he was ready to develop his version of the draft law on aid to Ukraine. It is assumed that it will take the form of a loan or a lend lease.

Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told VOA that it would be difficult for Ukraine to repay a loan during the war.

"I think it will be very difficult for a country like Ukraine, which is going through a war, to pay off these loans. And this is something that needs to be worked out not only with the Ministry of Defense, but also with the State Department and the White House," she commented on Johnson's initiative.

On February 14, US President Joe Biden called on the speaker of the House of Representatives to immediately put to a vote the bill on aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.

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.