Biden to meet congressional leaders to discuss aid for Ukraine

US President Joe Biden will meet with four Congressional leaders on Tuesday, February 27, to discuss, among other things, providing assistance to Ukraine. 

Biden intends to stress the "urgency of passing a bipartisan bill on national security and keeping the government running," Rubryka reports, citing The Hill.

The meeting, to be held at the White House, will be attended by Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

For several weeks, Biden has been urging Congress to allocate funds to support Ukraine in Russia's war against the country, warning that failure to do so would be a historic defeat that could threaten global and domestic security.

Earlier this month, the Senate approved funding for national security measures, including funds for Ukraine, Israel, and Indo-Pacific allies, but Johnson indicated once again that the bill would not be voted on in the House of Representatives because it lacks provisions to protect against migrants from Mexico. Previously, Johnson considered a proposal that included these provisions unacceptable.

The White House has accused Johnson of prioritizing "his own domestic politics over the security of the American people."

Here's what we know about the bill to aid Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan

The US Senate voted on February 9 to continue the discussion on allocating funding for Ukraine, Israel, and allies in the Indo-Pacific region over the weekend. 64 senators voted in favor, with 19 against.

On February 11, the upper chamber of the United States Congress (the Senate) voted to end debates and amendments to bill HR 815, which allocates $95 billion to support Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. The United States senators adopted a motion to end debates on the bill.

Moreover, on February 13, US Senators adopted a motion to cease debate on a bill providing aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.

The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Republican Mike Johnson, criticized the US Senate's bill to aid Ukraine and Israel for lacking measures that could halt the record flow of migrants across the US-Mexico border.

Later on the same day, the Senate passed a bill providing $95 billion in aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. Specifically, over $60 billion is allocated for Ukraine.

However, the US House of Representatives went on recess until February 28, thus postponing the consideration of aid for Ukraine.