The White House said it was “running out of runway” on supporting both Ukraine and Israel as US Republican lawmakers warned they would protest any funding request for military aid from the Biden administration for the two crisis-hit nations.
“I think in the immediate term, right now, we can continue to support – with the authorities in the appropriations we have – Israel and Ukraine. But, you know, we’re … certainly running out of runway,” said John Kirby, a spokesperson for the National Security Council.
Mr Kirby was answering a question at a daily briefing on the administration meeting the immediate needs of Ukraine and Israel along with the continuing fight to elect a House Speaker.
Mr Kirby said the US administration had the means to support both Israel and Ukraine in the near term. “But you don’t want to be trying to bake in long-term support when you’re at the end of the rope,” he said on Wednesday.
“And on the Ukraine funding, we’re coming near to the end of the rope. I mean, today we announced $200mn, and we’ll keep that aid going as long as we can, but it’s not going to be indefinite,” he said, adding that the US is moving with “a sense of alacrity”.
