World leaders urge Republicans to aid Ukraine, but they eye Trump - Reuters

Photo: US presidential candidate Donald Trump (getty images)

An unprecedented number of foreign officials have visited Washington in recent months, appealing to Republicans in Congress to approve increased military aid to Ukraine. But they are listening to a very different voice – that of former president and current Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, reports Reuters.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, in his address to Congress on Thursday, urged American lawmakers to overcome “self-doubt” about the country’s role on the world stage, warning that Ukraine’s hopes “would collapse” without US support.

The agency also mentions visits to the US with similar messages from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and UK Foreign Minister David Cameron.

Reuters notes the unusualness of these visits – foreign leaders typically avoid appearing to influence US lawmakers. But analysts say this unusualness reflects deep concerns, especially in Europe, about how long Ukraine can hold out without significant new assistance from Washington.

“Europe is feeling very nervous about the United States and our commitment to NATO, Ukraine and Europe in general,” said Elizabeth Hoffman, director of Congress and government affairs at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Trump was scheduled to meet with House Speaker Mike Johnson on Friday, April 12, fueling speculation about whether he would approve a vote on President Joe Biden’s request for emergency aid to Ukraine next week.

Republican representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a loyal ally of Trump and opponent of aid to Ukraine, is confident that Trump and Johnson will discuss the relevant bill but did not express her opinion. “I think that President Trump can present his views, and I don’t speak for the president,” she said.

US assistance to Ukraine and Trump’s position

For several months now, the US has practically ceased providing military aid to Ukraine. The reason is that Congress has not passed a bill with the appropriate funding.

In February, the US Senate approved a document proposing to allocate about $60 billion in aid to Ukraine. But it got “stuck” in the House of Representatives.

House Speaker Mike Johnson refuses to bring the initiative to a vote. He proposes to amend certain provisions of the bill, including assistance in the form of loans.

Recently, Politico reported that the administration of US President Joe Biden is negotiating with Johnson to advance the bill with funds for Ukraine.

In late February, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that without the assistance of the United States, Ukraine would lose many people on the front lines. Moreover, the Armed Forces will not be able to achieve new successes on the battlefield and will be forced to retreat.

He recently reiterated that Ukraine will have to retreat step by step if the United States does not restore military aid.

Meanwhile, as journalists from The Washington Post learned, Trump’s plan to end the war involves pressuring Kyiv to make concessions to Moscow, including territorial ones.