Biden hosting Germany’s Scholz as Europe grows anxious about Ukraine funding impasse in Washington

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden welcomes German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for talks Friday at a time of mounting anxiety in Europe over the White House’s ability to break an impasse in Congress that is blocking new aid to Ukraine for its war with Russia.

Scholz arrived in Washington ready to amplify an argument Biden himself has been making for months now: A Russian win in Ukraine would imperil the West and its allies. He’s also looking to highlight that Germany continues to provide robust funding for Ukraine despite budget constraints.

Scholz is emphasizing the stakes of the debate for Europe and beyond as House Republicans have blocked new U.S. funding. The Republicans are arguing that the United States can’t afford to keep pouring billions of dollars of taxpayer money into Ukraine’s war effort and that Europe should do more for Kyiv.

Ahead of the White House meeting, Scholz said that backing away from support for Kyiv would have consequences beyond Ukraine and could prove more costly to Western governments in the long run.

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