US aid to Ukraine hinges on House Speaker Johnson. His leadership is being tested by the far right

WASHINGTON (AP) — When Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke with congressional leaders in Washington late last year he told them privately what is now public: With U.S. weapons, they could win the war against Russia, but without them Russian President Vladimir Putin would be victorious.

In a subsequent meeting with new House Speaker Mike Johnson, a looming deadline for the supplies came into focus.

Now, with U.S. aid for Ukraine teetering in Congress, it’s up to Johnson to decide what happens next.

The Republican’s leadership will determine whether the House will agree to approve more aid for Ukraine or allow the U.S. commitment to wither, the end of the line for the embattled young democracy in Kyiv.

President Joe Biden, in a call Saturday with Zelenskyy after Ukraine announced it was withdrawing troops from the eastern city of Avdiivka, stressed the need for urgent congressional action to resupply Ukrainian forces, according to a White House summary of the conversation. Biden also reaffirmed the “strong bipartisan support” in the U.S. government and among Americans for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, the White House said.

<bsp-list-loadmore data-module="" class=«PageListStandardB» data-gtm-region=«Read more» data-gtm-topic=«No Value» data-gtm-modulestyle=«List B»> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> Read more </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> Senators push forward with Ukraine aid package as their leaders say the world is watching <use xlink:href="#play-icon" xmlns:xlink=«http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink»> </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> Zelenskyy warns of an ‘artificial deficit’ of weapons after Ukraine’s withdrawal from