The White House confirms that President Joe Biden is prepared to engage in constructive negotiation with Republicans on Capitol Hill regarding border security and the broader budget discussions, including potential considerations about military aid to Ukraine. This stance was communicated by John Kirby, the White House Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator, and noted by Russian state news agency TASS as reflecting Biden’s willingness to find common ground in this tough, multi-faceted political moment.
Kirby emphasized that Biden believes progress is possible and that reaching a political compromise is important. The president is open to balancing border enforcement measures with ongoing aid debates, aiming to advance policy steps that address national security concerns while also meeting allied commitments abroad.
In related remarks, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham reiterated a condition tied to security and international support. He asserted that no new aid to U.S. allies would move forward until a concrete border defense plan has been fully developed, scrutinized, and approved. The stance underscores a broader tension between border management priorities and overseas assistance packages under consideration by Congress.
Graham’s comments come amid ongoing attention to the legal status of his own travel and potential implications for U.S.-Russia relations, where American political figures can attract international attention and reciprocal interest from foreign governments.
Previously, Graham suggested that a visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Washington did not, in his view, accelerate the achievement of formal agreements between the Biden administration and Congress on funding Kyiv. The remark highlights the persistent friction between executive and legislative branches as they deliberate the scale and timing of security aid for Ukraine.
Earlier statements from Biden administration advisers indicated a pause or recalibration in arms deliveries to Ukraine, reflecting broader debates about how best to synchronize military assistance with domestic policy goals and security imperatives across allied and adversarial fronts (Source: TASS).