U.S. President Joe Biden expressed his openness to meeting with House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson to deliberate on a funding bill aimed at supporting Ukraine’s conflict with Russia.
Biden criticized Republicans for their stance against the aid package, labeling it as a misstep. The Senate had previously passed a $95 billion bipartisan aid package, encompassing allocations for Ukraine.
Despite this, Johnson has refrained from scheduling a vote on the bill in the House, where Republicans maintain a narrow 219-212 majority. He has insisted on a meeting with Biden as a precondition. Biden said,
“Sure I’d be happy to meet with him if he has anything to say.”
Addressing reporters upon his return to the White House from a weekend in Delaware, Biden emphasized that Republicans are committing a grave error by resisting aid to Ukraine in its struggle against Russian aggression.
With Congress not reconvening until Feb. 28, urgent measures are required to prevent a potential partial government shutdown slated for March 1 in the absence of legislative action. While some lawmakers have explored alternative bills or strategies to circumvent Johnson’s opposition, these options come with their own set of uncertainties.
On Monday, spokesperson Raj Shah for Speaker Johnson revealed that the speaker had been requesting a one-on-one meeting with Biden for weeks. Shah expressed appreciation for Biden’s willingness to engage in dialogue with Speaker Johnson regarding the optimal approach to safeguarding the nation, deeming it “long overdue.”
Biden, known for his strong criticism of his expected election opponent Donald Trump, and other Republicans who have threatened not to uphold NATO commitments unless member nations increase defense spending, admonished Republicans for what he sees as a significant error. He accused them of “abandoning the threat of Russia” and “turning their backs on NATO.” Biden remarked,
“It’s just shocking. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Expressing hope that the recent death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in a Russian penal colony in the Arctic region would prompt Republicans to back the aid for Ukraine, Biden admitted uncertainty about its potential impact.
Additionally, Biden disclosed that the United States is contemplating further sanctions against Russia in response to Navalny’s demise. He said,
“We already have sanctions, but we are considering additional sanctions, yes.”
On Friday, Biden squarely attributed Navalny’s death to Russian President Vladimir Putin, cautioning of potential consequences. He expressed feelings of both outrage and lack of surprise at the passing of the opposition leader.
