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Existing contradictions between Republicans and Democrats in the US Congress should be resolved, and aid to Ukraine will continue to flow. The threat of a shutdown happens regularly in the US. This time, Ukraine, as well as Israel and Taiwan, became part of these clashes. This opinion was expressed today, December 6, on the air of the FREEDOM TV channel by the former permanent representative of Ukraine to the UN, extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of Ukraine to the United States (2019-2021), Volodymyr Yelchenko.
“The statements sound serious and alarming, but I personally have no doubt that the contradictions that exist today will be resolved in any case. The thing is that the situation with the shutdown is repeated in the USA almost every year. This is especially characteristic of the last years before the elections, when the election campaign begins, and we live in such a moment. The whole point is that Ukraine simply became part of these internal conflicts. There is also the issue of financing the strengthening of the border in the south of the USA, and a number of other issues, both in the field of health care and education – domestic political issues that are always in the first place precisely during the election campaign, which has already practically started,” he said.
The diplomat noted that both parties are reaching the finish line. Formally, the pre-election races have not started, but it is obvious that the circle of Republican candidates is narrowing. It is clear that the Democrats have President Biden, who will run for a second term.
“During the years of working in the USA and during the time when I was not working in the USA, this situation was repeated almost every year. You can count on your fingers the years when there was no such danger of a shutdown, and almost always – 99% out of 100 – both parties found a way out of this situation. Yes, it can be at the last moment, yes, it is unpleasant that it affected Ukraine, but it also affected Israel and Taiwan. That is, we are not alone in this problem. And President Biden’s statement should be inspiring because he is the leader of the United States. And although he cannot solve many issues without Congress, I think that his statement is an emotional pressure on members of Congress who still have doubts. They must find a way out of this situation,” says Yelchenko.
Moreover, the ambassador clarified, the speaker of the lower house, Johnson, has repeatedly said that he aims to find a decent way out of this situation.
The diplomat also commented on the information that the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the US Congress, Mike Johnson, threatens to refuse funding for aid to Ukraine, if the White House does not agree to strengthen the security of the American borders. And even a week ago, he called aid to Ukraine a “critical priority” for the House of Representatives, and even earlier he held a different point of view. Yelchenko confirmed the statement that this is all internal politics.
“He is trying to find some common ground. This is his main role. This is a person who manages and regulates the work of the lower house of Congress and she needs to please both. And although he belongs to the Republican Party, it is clear that the interests of his party come first for him, but as the Speaker of the House he is responsible for a much wider range of issues, and he is simply obliged to find a way out of this situation. I do not doubt for a second that this way out will be found. Yes, it can be found later, voting can be postponed more than once. Of course, this should be taken seriously, but it does not only concern us,” he explained.
Exposol believes that it is possible that this whole problem may be dragged out until the beginning of 2024, but will definitely be resolved.
“Of course, we would not like it to drag on, but there are still some reserves in the Pentagon in terms of money and funding, which can be directed precisely to the purchase of military aid. There is direct assistance to the Pentagon, which is supplied to Ukraine from the warehouses of this agency. But if we talk about the financing that goes to the budget of Ukraine, it is more difficult. But after all, a war is a war, and we have already been living in these conditions for almost two years. There were delays before,” he said.
But, the diplomat emphasized, here it is still necessary to remember that the European Union may lend its shoulder.
“Everything is not so clear there either, but I think that sources of funding will be found that will replace the money that was supposed to come from the USA at this critical time. These include the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and other financial institutions. So our partners and allies are thinking about it. I think that they will not leave us in trouble,” concluded Volodymyr Yelchenko.
