White House says ‘time not our friend’ on Ukraine funding as all eyes on next House speaker

‘A lapse in support for even a short period of time could make all the difference on the battlefield’

Time is running out to fund Ukraine, the White House has said as it faces an uphill task in getting more US aid for Kyiv through Congress.

Disagreements in Congress over an American support package for Ukraine threatened to shut down the US government at the end of last week, with a last-minute spending bill finally passed only after funding for Kyiv was withdrawn.

“Time is not our friend.  We have enough funding authorities to meet Ukraine’s battlefield needs for a bit longer, but we need Congress to act to ensure that there is no disruption in our support,” White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said on Tuesday in a press briefing.

“As Ukrainians wage a tough counteroffensive, as their children continue to get ripped from the bosom of their families, and as winter fast approaches, it is imperative that we help them take advantage of every single day,” he said.

“A lapse in support for even a short period of time could make all the difference on the battlefield,” the White House official said.

The political struggle over US funding for Ukraine comes as Republican Kevin McCarthy, the House speaker, was removed by a bloc of lawmakers including members of his own party on Tuesday – the first such ouster of a speaker in US history.

McCarthy earlier this week denied accusations that he had cut “a secret deal” with Joe Biden to allow the House to vote on Ukraine aid. There remains uncertainty over who will replace him as speaker and when, but some of his possible successors are known to be strongly opposed to spending large amounts of US public money on helping Kyiv battle Russia’s invasion.

Continued American financial and logistical support for Ukraine sends an important signal to Vladimir Putin, who is waiting for Ukraine and its allies to tire out, Mr Kirby said.

“Just as critically, such a lapse in support will make Putin believe that he can out – he can wait us out.  And that he can continue the conflict until we and our allies and our partners fold. A strong signal of support now and into next year will make it clear to Putin that he’s wrong about that too, just like his assumptions have been wrong throughout this entire conflict,” he said.

Mr Kirby’s press briefing came just hours after president Joe Biden gathered US allies for a call and reassured them that he would receive “bipartisan and bicameral support” for aid.

Mr Biden dialled the leaders of allied countries, the European Union and the Nato military alliance to underline America’s support for Ukraine and warned that a drop in support could embolden Russia and cause wider conflict.

Leaders from Britain, France, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, Poland, Romania as well as the heads of Nato, the European Commission and the European Council joined the virtual meeting as they spoke about Ukraine’s economic recovery and food security issues.

“President Biden made clear we cannot, under any circumstances, allow America’s support for Ukraine to be interrupted,” Mr Kirby told reporters.

The US has enough committed funding to meet Ukraine’s battlefield needs “for a bit longer” but it needs Congressional help to offer this support uninterrupted, the top official said.

Pressed on a timeline, he said the US has “a couple of months or so” of military supplies.

He also slammed the small group of House Republicans who have brought the US’s plans of aiding Ukraine to a grinding halt, saying the world is watching.