Biden Aims for Breakthrough: Seeking Compromise on Aid for Ukraine and Israel, Senators Explore Common Ground

A Democratic senator indicated yesterday that the White House would work harder with Congress to reach a bipartisan solution that would strengthen US border security and offer military help to Ukraine and Israel.

President Joe Biden (Photo: Google)

President Joe Biden (Photo: Google)

Republicans Push for Ukraine Funding and Border Security, Democrats Cite Concerns

Republicans want more financing for Ukraine and major US border security improvements, but a bipartisan group of senators is making little progress before Christmas.

Chris Murphy, the chief Democratic negotiator, expects more White House engagement and the necessity to get President Joe Biden’s support for any arrangement. Republicans criticize the Biden administration for reconsidering refugee policies. Murphy calls Republican border security demands “unreasonable” and accuses them of endangering global security by connecting military funding to border security.

Some Republicans want strict rules at the border, such as quickly deporting people who cross illegally and cutting back on programs that let people come officially.

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Senators Lankford and Vance Express Concerns Over Border Crisis and Differ on Aid to Ukraine

Senator James Lankford, who is working on a border deal, was worried about how lawless the border was, pointing out that 12,000 people crossed illegally on a recent day. Lankford stressed that Congress needed to act to retake power, but he did not say what policies would be changed.

Republican Senator JD Vance is against giving help to Ukraine and wants to end the war by talking with Russia. He says that Ukraine is “functionally destroyed as a country.”

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