By KYIV. Dec 13 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters Tuesday that it will be “practically impossible” to pass legislation providing more military aid to Ukraine before Christmas and urged President Biden to get more involved in the stalled negotiations.
“All I have said is [it’s] ‘practically impossible,’ [to adopt a law on military assistance for Ukraine] even though we reach an agreement, to craft it, get it through the Senate, get it through the House before Christmas,” McConnell said, adding that “it doesn’t mean it’s not important.”
In particular, he noted that “Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has said to a number of people that the House is leaving town at the end of this week.”
“Which means that even if Senate negotiators strike a deal on border security, House lawmakers wouldn’t be around to consider it until January,” he stated.
Also, according to McConnell, U.S. President Joseph Biden should take a more active part in discussions on the adoption of this law.
“We all know he’s the only one that can sign a bill into law,” McConnell said of Biden. “Without him, there is no deal,” he added.
The Hill notes that McConnell made his comments hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with senators in the Capitol to ask Congress to fund another round of military aid to help Ukraine fight off Russia’s invasion.
