‘Consequences could be significant’: the chaos in the US Congress is threatening further support for Ukraine

The chaos in the US Congress is threatening further support for Ukraine, and the consequences could be significant.

This information reported according to the Mainichi Shimbun.

The United States has provided more assistance to Ukraine than any other country. European states would be unable to compensate for this difference, the author notes.

The repercussions will not be limited to the United States alone. Will the current situation disrupt the unity of international support for Ukraine? Concerns about this are growing.

When the US Congress passed an interim budget at the end of last month, avoiding a government shutdown, it brought significant relief. Hardline conservatives who opposed Republican Speaker McCarthy called for his resignation, which was supported by most Democrats.

This marks the first time a Speaker of the House has been removed from office.

It is expected that the discussion of bills will be suspended until a replacement is found, rendering the House of Representatives incapacitated. If the chaos is not resolved by mid-November when the interim budget expires, the government will face the threat of another shutdown. This situation is troubling.

There are also concerns that assistance to Ukraine may be interrupted. The current interim budget does not include funding for Ukraine, taking into account the Republican Party’s negative stance on providing additional support.

Due to the turmoil in Congress, considering aid to Ukraine does not seem feasible. The budget includes a provision allowing the President to provide American weapons to the Ukrainian army under his authority, but it is expected to run out by the end of the year.

The reason for caution is the shift in American public opinion. Support for providing military aid, which initially stood at 80%, is now declining.

This is most noticeable among Republican supporters, with approval dropping from 80% to 50%. While this is debatable, the consequences of ending support would be significant.

According to one German analytical center, US military assistance to Ukraine amounts to $46.6 billion, which is more than any other country, including Germany. European states do not have the resources to compensate for this difference.