Biden says US ‘will not walk away’ from Ukraine amid budget turmoil

United States President Joe Biden says aid to Ukraine will keep flowing for now as he seeks to reassure allies of continued support for the war effort.

But time is running out, the president said on Sunday in a warning to Congress, which has voted to avert a government shutdown by passing a short-term funding package that dropped assistance for Ukraine in the fight against Russia.

“We cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted,” Biden said.

“We have time, not much time and there is an overwhelming sense of urgency,” he said, noting that the funding bill lasts only until mid-November.

Biden urged the Congress to negotiate an aid package as soon as possible.

“The vast majority of both parties – Democrats and Republicans, Senate and House – support helping Ukraine and the brutal aggression that is being thrust upon them by Russia,” he said in an address from the White House.

“Stop playing games. Get this done,” Biden said, adding that he expected Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to secure passage of a separate bill for Ukraine funding soon.

“I want to assure our American allies, the American people and the people in Ukraine that you can count on our support. We will not walk away,” he said.

Hanging in the balance
Despite Biden’s attempts to reassure Kyiv, the future of US aid for Ukraine hangs in the balance after a last-gasp deal to avoid a government shutdown.Although the compromise struck in Congress late on Sunday dropped new funding for Ukraine amid opposition from hardline Republicans, it remains unclear what might happen next.

Biden and his Democratic party say the US has a duty to help Ukraine stand up to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion, warning that failure to do so could embolden other nations in the future.

But the issue has become so politicised in Washington that the fate of vital military aid is now in jeopardy, just as Kyiv tries to make progress in its sluggish counteroffensive before winter sets in.