Speaker Johnson will meet with Zelensky during US visit

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, amid stalled negotiations to deliver aid to the war-torn country, Johnson’s spokesperson said Sunday.

The news comes just after the Biden administration announced the president invited Zelensky for a meeting at the White House on Tuesday.

The meetings will take place against the backdrop of a divided Congress struggling to reach a deal that would provide aid to Ukraine and tackle other priorities as well.

Last week, Senate Republicans blocked a bill that would have provided aid to Ukraine in its war against Russia and aid to Israel in its war against Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization.

Republicans, however, have said they would not vote for an aid package that does not also include provisions addressing the U.S. southern border with Mexico.

While Johnson has said he thinks Ukraine aid is important, he faces a challenge as many in his party are losing their appetite to pass more aid for Ukraine. He has told Senate Republicans that as much of the House-passed GOP H.R.2 border bill should be included in the package as possible.  

Senate Democrats, however, have said items in H.R.2 are non-starters, but talks centered on asylum and parole issues.

President Biden last Wednesday signaled a renewed openness to striking a deal that includes provisions to address the border, saying he’s willing to make “significant compromises” on border policy in order to unlock funding for Ukraine.

The White House said Sunday that Biden’s meeting with Zelensky aims to “underscore the United States’s unshakeable commitment to supporting the people of Ukraine as they defend themselves against Russia’s brutal invasion.”

“As Russia ramps up its missile and drone strikes against Ukraine, the leaders will discuss Ukraine’s urgent needs and the vital importance of the United States’s continued support at this critical moment,” the statement continued.

Biden in October requested a $111 billion emergency supplemental package, which would include aid to Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific region, while also providing funds for humanitarian aid in Gaza, border security and combatting fentanyl trafficking.