US House Speaker brings glimmer of hope to Ukraine

US House Speaker Mike Johnson has just made an important announcement that could determine the future of the US's billion-dollar aid package for Ukraine.

By announcing the move to bring additional military aid to Kiev to a vote in the House of Representatives, the top Republican congressman became an “Ambassador of Hope” this Easter Sunday.

Johnson said he would push for more support for Ukraine’s war effort against Russia when lawmakers return to Capitol Hill on April 9, revealing “some important innovations” on funding in an interview with Fox News on Easter Sunday.

The House will attach new conditions to the aid, he said, which could include providing the package as a loan to be repaid “at the appropriate time,” using seized assets from Russian oligarchs, or lifting the Biden administration’s freeze on licensing new liquefied natural gas (LNG) export projects.

The US House speaker said he wanted new aid to Ukraine approved “immediately”, but was struggling to ease opposition from hard-line members.

World - US House Speaker brings glimmer of hope to Ukraine — House Speaker Mike Johnson has begun publicly laying out the conditions for extending a new round of US military assistance to Ukraine. Photo: NY Times

While the news may be a glimmer of hope for Kiev, it also raises questions about whether the billions of dollars in aid will reach the front lines in time to make a difference for Ukrainians. On the front lines, delays in the delivery of artillery shells from allies – especially the United States – have left Ukrainian forces outnumbered by as much as 6:1.

Several top Republican members of the House of Representatives said on April 1 that the odds of lawmakers approving the additional aid package would be no more than 50%, and Johnson has yet to make clear what political stance he is willing to take.

Mr. Johnson’s aides did not mention how deeply he has worked with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries or Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of the Democrats on a bipartisan approach.

Any aid package to Ukraine would need significant Democratic support to pass the House, as most Republicans oppose the aid.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated his desperate plea for more military assistance last week during a phone call with Johnson. “In this situation, it is very important that Congress quickly transfers US aid to Ukraine,” the Ukrainian leader said in a subsequent tweet.

A February poll by the Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that a majority of Republicans (55%) and many Americans (37%) believe the United States is spending “too much” on aid to Ukraine.

“It’s very possible that after this Ukraine bill, we could be stuck again with the Speaker of the House” and hard-line opponents like Rep . Marjorie Taylor Greene, said moderate Republican Rep. Don Bacon.

Minh Duc (According to Bloomberg, NY Post)

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