Top Senate Republican bucks bipartisan backing for Ukraine, floats freeze on defense funds
Mitch McConnell (Photo: EPA/SHAWN THEW)

Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnell, supported the budget for two months without funding for Ukraine and Israel, he reported in Congress, The Hill writes.

He said he supports House Speaker Mike Johnson's proposal to fund the government for two months to avoid a shutdown.

McConnell praised Johnson's proposal as "a responsible measure that will keep the lights on, avoid a harmful lapse in federal spending."

Passage of the initiative would allow US lawmakers to finish work on the annual spending bills within the next two months.

If Congress approves Johnson's proposal to extend the current level of funding through 2024, there won't be another mandatory state bill to fund Ukraine or Israel until January.

On October 20, 2023, US President Joe Biden called on Congress not to stop the supply of weapons to Ukraine. The White House has sent a request to Congress to allocate $106 billion in emergency funding to help Ukraine, Israel and strengthen US border security.

It is expected that the package for Ukraine will be valued at $61.4 billion.

The new speaker of the US House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, said that aid to Ukraine and Israel will be considered separately, and not in a single package, as proposed by the White House.