Biden Directs $8 Billion to Ukraine; Zelenskyy Petitions a Less Receptive Congress

In his latest American visit, Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy found continued solidarity in the White House but got a chillier reception in Congress.

The Details: President Joe Biden directed $8 billion in unspent funds to weapons for Ukraine. In a private meeting with several Republican and Democratic senators, Zelenskyy asked for Congress to allow Ukraine to strike Russian territory with U.S.-provided long-range missiles, which Russia has said would amount to war and Biden has refused to authorize. The senators generally expressed support for the request, but House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-L.A.) voiced frustration with Zelenskyy's recent criticism of Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance (R-O.H.) and a tour of a Pennsylvania munitions factory with Biden and other top Democrats. Zelenskyy also delivered a press conference with Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and will meet with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump tomorrow.

For Context: Since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in February 2022, Congress has approved $175 billion in military aid to Ukraine, each time with strong bipartisan majorities. The latest aid package, passed in April, totaled $61 billion.

How the Media Covered It: The New York Times (Lean Left bias) showed bias in favor of the war, pondering the "potentially dire consequences" of Zelenskyy's colder relationship with Congress "for the future of U.S. military assistance to Ukraine." Washington Examiner (Lean Right) emphasized the Republicans who supported Zelenskyy and minimized those who accused him of partisanship. New York Post (Lean Right) said Biden intended to "bankroll" the war and highlighted Zelenskyy's worsening relations with Trump.