Volodymyr Zelensky returns to Washington to convince people of the urgency of American aid

The Ukrainian president returned to Washington on Tuesday, December 12. Despite a vibrant speech from Joe Biden last Wednesday, the US Congress blocked the decision to grant new funds to Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelensky will try to convince the reluctant Republican parliamentarians, because this aid is crucial.

A year ago, in December 2022, all the signals were green. The United States had just announced the sending of its Patriot air defense system to Ukraine and the historic speech by Volodymyr Zelensky, in khaki-colored clothing before Congress, was interrupted several times by applause and standing ovations. “Your money is not charity”, the Ukrainian president then said, “it is an investment in global security and democracy”.

December 2023, the euphoria has subsided and these same words resonate like a last-chance plea. Funds for Ukraine are practically exhausted. The batches of weapons have already decreased. And the vote on a new envelope, amounting to $61 billion, became hostage to a deeply partisan domestic political issue.

With “America first”, Mexico first

Republican elected officials blocked the process last Wednesday, refusing to support this text. FFundamentally, they are not opposed to further aid to Ukraine. But they want compensation. Followers of “America first” (“America First”), stimulated by the prospect of seeing Donald Trump win the presidential nomination, they are demanding major changes in asylum policy to curb immigration at the border with Mexico. Their leitmotif: we cannot worry about the safety of others without first worrying about our own.

As they are in the majority in the House of Representatives, they can paralyze everything. If the Democrats want to pass their envelope of 61 billion dollars, it will be at the cost of enormous concessions. The schedule is tight, as Congress breaks up Friday, December 15 for the Christmas break. Public opinion, too, is shifting. The United States has already committed $110 billion since the Russian invasion began. According to a survey by Financial Timesnearly one in two Americans think that the United States “spend too much” for Ukraine.

Risk of contagion?

The Europeans will scrutinize this trip by Volodymyr Zelensky very closely, because if he does not succeed in convincing the American parliamentarians, the atmosphere risks also turning sour in the clan of 27. A summit on Thursday and Friday must approve additional aid of 54 billion euros. The opening of official negotiations for Ukraine’s membership must also be decided.

Hungary is still blocking, the Ukrainian president has failed to move Viktor Orban, whom he met during the inauguration of the Argentine president this weekend. To avoid the disastrous consequences of a domino effect, more than a hundred European deputies, according to the Reuters agency, will send a letter today to their American counterparts to convince them.

Last week, David Cameron, the new British Foreign Secretary, also urged Congress to adopt the aid package. “If this money is not voted, there are only two people who will smile, Vladimir Putin in Russia, Xi Jinping in Beijing. I don’t know about you, but I don’t have want to give a Christmas gift to one or other of these people”.