The leaders of the United States and Germany emphasized the need for additional support for Ukraine. They dismissed Russian President Vladimir Putin's interview from the previous day as absurd.
At a summit held at the White House on the 9th (local time), U.S. President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz reaffirmed their firm support for Ukraine, which is fighting against Russia's aggression, the White House said.
President Biden urged Congress to promptly pass the national security spending package that includes the budget for supporting Ukraine, saying, "We must pass the national security spending package (which includes the Ukraine support budget) now." He added, "It is close to dereliction of duty for the U.S. Congress not to support Ukraine."
This was interpreted as a message aimed at House Republican members who have shown reluctance to approve additional funding for Ukraine. The security-related budget bill, which includes $60 billion for Ukraine and over $10 billion for Israel, is currently pending in the U.S. Senate, while Republican members, who hold the majority in the House, are expressing reservations about further support for Ukraine.
Chancellor Scholz said, "Without support from the U.S. and European countries, Ukraine will not be able to defend its country, so the U.S. House of Representatives must decide on essential (support for Ukraine) following your lead."
Scholz emphasized, "Germany and the United States must play a role in maintaining world peace," adding, "Europe has decided to provide the necessary financial support, and Germany is ready to increase arms supplies."
He also disparaged the interview with President Putin conducted by former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson, which was released the previous day, calling it a "ridiculous interview" and saying, "He (Putin) wants to take parts of neighboring countries' territories; he is an imperialist, and it is nothing but imperialism."
In the approximately two-hour interview released on Carlson's personal website the previous day, President Putin stated that Russia's defeat in the Ukraine war is impossible. He also claimed that considering Ukraine's internal issues, an agreement between Russia and Ukraine would be reached soon.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
