Biden's aides discuss aid for Ukraine with Mike Johnson in backstage talks

House Speaker Mike Johnson may be discussing conditions that would allow a $60 billion aid package for Ukraine to be put to a vote. According to Politico, aides to US President Joe Biden continue non-public talks with Johnson, but refrain from exerting pressure, giving Johnson room to maneuver, UNN reports .

Details

President Joe Biden's aides are in contact with House Speaker Mike Johnson behind the scenes, working to bring a $60 billion aid package to Ukraine to a vote.

The White House has been in contact with Johnson's office about Ukraine assistance during the two-week congressional recess, according to two administration officials

It is noted that Biden's team refrained from confronting the speaker because of the protracted process of approving aid to Ukraine. Instead, aides to the current US president tried to give Johnson room to maneuver, as he leads a faction of the Republican Party with a constantly shrinking majority.

For all their frustration with the slow pace in the House of Representatives, White House officials are hopeful that their approach can lead to Congress moving on a bailout package as soon as possible.

It remains unclear what the final package will look like. Following Johnson's interview on Fox News Sunday night, the White House provided little official reaction when he floated the idea of lending some of the aid to Ukraine or repurposing some $300 billion in confiscated Russian assets.

It is now clear that the Republicans and Democrats are actually working to break the deadlock, and April may be a crucial month in this regard. Defence24 notes that with each passing day that brings us closer to the presidential and congressional elections, it will become increasingly difficult to break the deadlock. This is especially true given the failure of important efforts to make military assistance to Ukraine part of a broader range of US international actions.

The packages, which in themselves can be seen as primarily strengthening the American defense industry, but in the electoral dimension they have become subjects separated from strategic or industrial issues, falling on the agenda of political and moral disputes 

Recall

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba considers recent public comments by House Speaker Mike Johnson on unblocking US financial aid to be optimistic and expressed confidence that US aid will come anyway, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry reports.