The USA is avoiding a budget freeze for the time being – at the same time, all aid to Ukraine has been suspended for the time being. The Biden administration warns of the consequences of the Ukraine war.
Washington DC – Just a few hours before an impending budget freeze, the USA prevented the so-called shutdown. The US Congress passed a temporary emergency solution on Saturday (September 30th) – blocking aid in the Ukraine war. The US President signed the interim budget into law shortly before the midnight deadline.
Senate vote: USA prevents shutdown and suspends aid to Ukraine
Despite urgent appeals from Democrats and the White House, Ukraine will not receive any further US aid during the approximately 45-day interim solution. US President Joe Biden immediately after the Senate vote, called on Congress to release aid to Kiev in a separate bill. “We cannot under any circumstances allow American aid to be used for the Ukraine will be interrupted,” warned the President. He called on Kevin McCarthy, the Republican leader of the US House of Representatives, to fulfill his commitment to “the Ukrainian people.”
“Putin celebrates”: Ukraine could soon lack aid in its offensive against Russia
In view of the ongoing counteroffensive, Ukraine is demanding financial assistance from the USA reliant. Suspension of funding would have serious consequences for the war, the Biden administration warned. Only a single Democrat voted against the interim solution – because of the lack of support from Ukraine. Russia I could see that as a success. “Putin celebrates,” said Representative Mike Quigley CNN. “We have 45 days to fix the problem,” he said. However, he considers a change in dynamics to be unlikely.
John Kirby, communications director for the National Security Council, also appealed to the US Congress. It’s about critical moments of the counteroffensive. Because of the restrictions on aid to Ukraine, Kiev is at risk of missing out on resources for the counteroffensive, Kirby warned. After all, the USA is the main supporter.
Budget freeze: USA escapes shutdown at the last minute
Just three hours before the crucial deadline for a budget freeze, the Senate decided with 88 votes in favor and nine against. Before Democrats and Republicans did not agree for a long time – had they not decided on an emergency solution at the last minute, the shutdown would have come into force at the beginning of the new financial year. The consequences of a shutdown: the closure of numerous public institutions and unpaid compulsory leave for hundreds of thousands of state employees.
In the past few decades there have been repeated budget freezes in the USA – most recently in December 2018 and January 2019. Under then-President Donald Trump At 35 days, it was the longest shutdown in US history. (dpa/hk)