US President Joe Biden hosted his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenkskyy, at the White House Tuesday for closed-door consultation as a military aid package worth tens of billions of dollars remains stalled in Congress.
Biden said in brief remarks before reporters that he authorized a $200 million transfer of military armaments from existing US stocks for Ukraine, but he and his senior officials have been warning for months that funding is rapidly expiring. Officials have said already-appropriated money is likely to run out by year's end.
`"Congress needs to pass the supplemental funding for Ukraine before they break for the holiday recess, before they give Putin the greatest Christmas gift they could possibly give him," Biden said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Ukraine's forces remain locked in fierce fighting with Russia and its proxies in eastern Ukraine in hopes of ousting Moscow's fighters from the occupied territory.
Speaking alongside Biden, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces have been successful in ousting Russia from the Black Sea, saying Moscow is "hiding the remnants of its naval fleet in remote bases."
"Meanwhile, Ukraine has set up an export corridor in the Black Sea that's really boosting our economy and global food security," he said, in reference to the rollback of Russia's embargo on Ukraine's Black Sea ports following heavy fighting and asymmetrical Ukrainian attacks on key targets, including critical naval ships.
Zelenskyy said about 600,000 Ukrainians remain on the battlefield in defiance of the nearly three-year-long war.
The presidents are expected to hold a joint press conference later Tuesday as Biden seeks to ramp up pressure on lawmakers to pass his supplemental funding request.
Congressional Republicans have so far blocked its passage, conditioning any support of a major tightening of US border policy that Democrats believe is a non-starter. The roughly $61.4 billion in Ukraine funding is part of a large $110 billion bundle requested by Biden to fund his major national security priorities.
It also includes an additional over $10 billion for Israel on top of the nearly $4 billion in military assistance given to the US ally annually.
