US lawmakers 'encouraged' by talks on deal to unblock aid to Ukraine
Kyiv • UNN
U.S. senators are cautiously optimistic that a border security agreement could be reached, which could also unblock aid to Ukraine and Israel, but consensus on timing remains elusive.
U.S. lawmakers from the Democratic and Republican parties said on Sunday that they were "encouraged" by the direction of border security talks that could unlock aid to Ukraine, but the timing of a potential deal remains uncertain, UNN reports citing The Hill.
Details
Negotiators in the US Senate have been meeting for several weeks now, trying to reach an agreement on border security that could unlock additional aid for Ukraine and Israel in a supplemental funding package. Last week, senators and the White House expressed optimism that a border agreement may be on the way.
While many lawmakers say they have made progress in border negotiations, they remain divided over when an agreement will actually be reached.
Democratic Senator Joe Manchin told CNN on Sunday that a potential border deal could be made as early as this week. "I think we're going to see something next week," he said.
Democratic Senator Chris Coons also expressed hope that a potential deal would be made this week, adding on CBS News that he would "probably" support the legislation. He said that failure to reach a deal "would be a huge gift to (Russian President) Vladimir Putin and (Chinese President) Xi Jinping and Hamas." "I have spoken to a number of negotiators. They worked hard this weekend. I hope we can reach a conclusion next week," he said.
Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen told ABC News that he is "hopeful" that talks on border security and a foreign aid package are moving forward, while negotiators remain tight-lipped about when a potential deal might be reached.
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Republican Senator John Cornyn also said that he believes the talks are moving forward, but did not specify a possible timeline. "Well, I talked to a couple of key negotiators yesterday and they feel like they've made some progress, but I know that (Senate Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer) thinks that some kind of deal is going to be made behind closed doors and then push it through the Senate and then push it through the House. That's not going to happen," Cornyn said on Fox News Sunday.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham suggested that a border deal will not be concluded until next year, accusing the Biden administration of choosing "bad policies" on the border. "We're not close to a deal yet, it's going to be next year," Graham said.
Even if the Senate and the White House come to a deal on the border, it is likely to face an uphill battle in the House of Representatives, as some Republicans have signaled that they may want tougher border provisions than what the Democratic-led White House and Senate will propose.
Republican House member Tony Gonzalez said on Face the Nation that lawmakers need to "sweeten the deal" on border security in order for the supplemental aid package to pass the House. He added that a deal between the Senate and the White House would be "very different" from what the House wants.
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